Here's To Freedom
by GooseLives
Summary: Natalie is the little sister stuck in her beautiful, famous, Will-Turner-courting sister, Elizabeth's shadow and on the run in search of freedom...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own none of the original POTC characters, places, plot lines, etc...I am but  
  
a humble fan. But anything that you don't recognize is mine, bizznitch! Steal it and I'll  
  
go medieval on your sorry asses!!!!! Wow, just kidding. I think that just bumped me up  
  
to a PG_13 rating, lol. Well, this is a first timer in this genre, so cut me some slack, read  
  
and review, and enjoy!  
  
Here's To Freedom  
  
"Oh, Natalie, darling! You look absolutely stunning!" Elizabeth Swan said, patting her little sister's auburn curls and stepping back to admire the work of her abagails. "Thank you, ladies. That will be all."  
  
Natalie Swan watched as the two girls left, waiting in silent dread for her sister's incessant babbling to start up again. Without distractions, the woman of twenty had the ability to go on and on for whole hours without breaking a sweat. It never ceased to amaze, really.  
  
As the door clicked closed, Elizabeth, as expected, continued. "Well, who would have known that all of this loveliness was hiding beneath that rakish exterior of yours? Why young Clark Eaton just might fall through the floor at the sight of you, Nattie!"  
  
At the mere mention of his name, Natalie rolled her eyes skyward in silent prayer for mercy. The man was a complete lout! And he called himself a poet, for Jude's sake! He never said anything of substance, just spouted superfluous descriptions of her "timeless" beauty that she knew he did not mean.  
  
If he'd had his way he would be in Will Turner's shoes beside her sister, but there was no way that oaf could compete with a man like him. He was charismatic and proper, heroic and dashing. Damn near perfect, in her opinion. And, of course, he was completely smitten with Elizabeth. Wasn't it always the way?  
  
"Natalie? Natalie!" Her sister's raised voice brought her from her thoughts with a jolt, and, for a moment, she shook her head to regain her senses. "We must be going or we will certainly be late for Master Eaton's soirée, and no amount of good looks can make up for that black mark on your social status."  
  
With an exasperated sigh, she shook her head and picked up her satin fan, moving to the door behind Elizabeth with a mocking whisper. "Oh my, and we wouldn't want to do THAT, now would we?"  
  
* * * *  
  
"Clark!" Geoffrey Eaton called, his voice reverberating through the grand hall. "Clark Allen Eaton! Show yourself immediately!" He didn't have time for such foolishness this evening. A houseful of guests would be arriving shortly and there was much he had to see to before they did.  
  
He opened his mouth once more, preparing to holler, but then he saw his son liltingly descending the spiral staircase. Shaking his head at the pathetic picture, he reminded himself that he had to get this boy to woo the fastidious Mistress Natalie Swan in a few short hours. "Clark, now!"  
  
"Yes, Father?" he asked, approaching with a dreamy gait. Well one thing he could give the lad credit for was his appearance. Of course, money can buy attire that can miraculously alter even the most horrendous of individuals, but the gentle waves in his blonde hair, his almost translucent blue eyes, and his impeccable bone structure, proved that he'd obviously inherited his father's good looks.  
  
With a harsh whisper, he pulled his son in close and started in quickly. "Now, son, I cannot begin to stress enough how important tonight is to the survival of this family. We are practically in debt, Clark, and unless you relish the thought of taking up a pick axe in place of that pen of yours, you'd better focus!"  
  
Clark rolled his eyes and replied, "I know, Father. Trust me this isn't going to be difficult. Who else in there right mind has ever even approached Natalie Swan with romantic intent? Even if she isn't moved, her father wouldn't want to bring shame on the family with an old maid so she'll have to say 'yes'!"  
  
"Clark, do not underestimate that one! She's too quiet and mindful to be true. The girl must be keeping something back, so you'd better hope you are as charming as you seem to think."  
  
With a cocky chuckle, he pulled away from his father's grasp and leaned nonchalantly against a table full of potted hydrangeas. "Father, you're forgetting one thing. I'm a poet." 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack...if I did...well we won't get into that right now. Don't sue, you won't get much...Ha! Ha! Read, review, and enjoy, kids!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 2)  
  
Natalie breathed an audible sigh of relief as the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the Eaton house after the considerable trek from the north side of the island. Truth be told, being tossed about like a rag doll in that horse-dragged box had made her a bit queasy, to say the least. Governor Swann shot his daughter a scathing look at her vocal protest and climbed down, extending his hand to help her out.  
  
Accepting his offer, she stepped out into the warm, sweet-smelling Caribbean night, savoring the feeling of standing still and just being alive. The pale moonlight bathed all that surrounded her in this ethereal glow, casting magnificent shadows of the swaying banana palms and moss covered rock formations on the cobbles beneath her feet. Smiling to herself, she silently wondered if there was any other place on Earth more beautiful than Port Royale in that instant.  
  
"Excuse me, Miss Natalie," she heard from behind her. Tossing a glance over her right shoulder, she saw Will send her a grin, waiting patiently behind her to exit the surrey.  
  
Her emerald eyes widened and her face flushed pink with embarrassment. Of all people to see her slip into incoherency, it had to be Will, her awful luck wouldn't permit otherwise! Finally realizing that even after he was kind enough to point out her mistake, she still had yet to move, Natalie darted out of the way. "Please forgive me. I lost myself for a moment."  
  
Will simply shrugged and hopped down onto the stone path. He brushed a wisp of dark wavy hair out of his eyes and quickly presented her with his devastatingly handsome smile, calling "'Tisn't a problem, love". She nearly sighed out loud, that was until he helped Elizabeth along, their eyes locked on one another and no one else. Dear Lord, it was enough to make any girl feel like taking a leap from the nearest cliff!  
  
"Natalie, darling!"  
  
As if watching her beautiful older sister walk away with the man of the millennium wasn't enough! Immediately her eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice booming across the once peaceful courtyard. She didn't even have to look upon him to know who it was, for only one person would be lurking in the darkness, anticipating her arrival.  
  
Feigning utter delight, she spun to face him with a brilliant smile and replied, "Why, hello, Master Eaton! It is a pleasure to see you again."  
  
He grinned like a fool and all but leapt over to where Natalie stood. Bowing down before her, he made an enormous fuss out of caressing her hand and placing a kiss atop it, so much so that she had to struggle to stifle the bout of hysterical laughter that threatened to consume her with each ridiculous gesture the man made.  
  
"No, my dear, the pleasure is all mine," Clark whispered suggestively, raising his clear blue eyes to hers. Something about him told her he wasn't being genuine, and, in this case, she didn't mind it in the slightest. "I thank you and your family for accepting our invitation."  
  
Turning to address her father, he bowed once more, sans hand- fondling, and said, "Governor Swann, we are honored and delighted to have you as a guest in our home."  
  
"Why thank you, son," he said cheerfully. Offering his elbow to his youngest daughter, the governor smiled and inclined his head towards the estate that loomed nearby. "Shall we?"  
  
Natalie bushed past Clark to her where her father was waiting, with a smile. As was typical of the man, he probably didn't realize what he'd just done, but he was indeed her salvation. "Why, I thought you would never ask!"  
  
* * * * 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Nothing's changed...I'm still kicking myself for not making this movie first...Don't sue, please?  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 3)  
  
Like most parties and balls given by the wealthy of Port Royale, Master Eaton's was a magnificent affair, dripping with decadence.  
  
The Grand Hall was bustling with hundreds of the host's closest friends and its walls were coated with rich fabrics, precious metals, and even more superfluous swag. Exotic foods prepared by the finest chefs, imported from Europe, of course, coated tables that lined the entire perimeter of the room. In the center, the magnificent spiral staircase gave way to a platform that housed a string quartet who played waltzes and quadrilles continuously for the dancers swirling gracefully across the floor, two by two.  
  
All in all, the sensory overload was simply too immense to escape.  
  
As was young Clark Eaton. Why, Natalie had been sneaking from one potted plant to another for hours, trying to remain unseen by the whelp, and frankly, it was putting an even larger damper on her already horrendous evening.  
  
She suddenly spotted him across the room, strolling towards her, and with a gasp, she quickly bounded behind Madam Blake's enormous and very tasteless dress and her gaggle of eligible teenage daughters to hide. In silence, she mentally chanted for him to not see her, over and over again, and smiled when a bewildered expression crossed his features and he turned and walked away.  
  
But a gentle tap on her bare shoulder caused her to jump a mile out of her skin and set her heart to pounding. When she turned and saw who it was, the problem only worsened. "Well, hello there, Master Turner. You're having an enjoyable evening, I pray?"  
  
"A lovely time indeed, and what of you?" he asked. It was all Natalie could do to nod and smile, so she did, and he forged on with the conversation. "While I'm pleased to here this, Miss Swann, I've noticed that you have been hiding along the wall here for some time now. Would you care to dance with me?" he asked, making a formal bow and offering his hand.  
  
Natalie looked at him, wondering if he had gone daft. She needn't think twice about the matter! "Why thank you, I would be delighted," she replied with a smile, placing her hand in his, following him to the floor, and coaching her body to resist the urge to swoon.  
  
The quartet had been playing a lively number, and immediately, Will swept her into a series of twirls and spins, taking her breath away while she laughed and laughed. The world around them faded into a blur until all she could see was his smiling face and all she ever wanted to feel, from then until forever, was William Turner in her arms.  
  
"Pardon me, good sir, but might I cut in?"  
  
The words infiltrated her subconscious, dragging her, kicking and screaming, from her own little dream world back to reality. The man couldn't be for real, it just wasn't possible! Clark had always managed to find her in general, but as of late, he seemed to descend upon her at the most inopportune moments! Natalie simply could not win; it would probably knock the cosmos out of synch!  
  
Will nodded, placed a polite kiss upon her hand, and thanked her for the dance before walking away to re-join Elizabeth. With yet another sigh, she turned her attention to the oaf who stood before her, holding his arms out expectantly. "Actually, Master Eaton--."  
  
"Please, do call me Clark, darling."  
  
"Very well," she corrected with an exasperated sigh, "Master Clark, I could use a breath of fresh air, for it is dreadfully warm in here. So, if you would excuse me, I will take my leave."  
  
As Natalie turned to walk away, her tormentor boldly grabbed hold of her hand. Fighting the desperate urge to pummel the man, she spun around to find him looking upon her with that self-assured grin of his. "Please, allow me to accompany you, my pet."  
  
Gritting her teeth against a violent outburst, she nodded sharply and hurried through the crowd, dragging him behind her. She had dealt silently with him for the majority of her life, but if he used one more endearment in reference to her, she couldn't promise herself that she wouldn't end his life, right then and there.  
  
Once free of the hall and its heaving mass of people, she dropped hold of Clark's hand and moved across the stone patio. Leaning her forearms on the short wall at its perimeter, she looked out over the sea, now enveloped in complete darkness, and took deep breaths in an attempt to regain her composure.  
  
Hearing his shoes clicking against the smooth cobbles as he moved towards her, she rolled her eyes and prepared herself for the worst. "My, my, the island is certainly beautiful tonight," he said softly, the genuine awe in his words shocking her, to say the least.  
  
"That it is," she replied, trying to enjoy his change in attitude for she knew not how long it would be present.  
  
Not a moment after, he confirmed her belief that people never really changed. "The air is calm, the night is shady. I ask you, Natalie, be my lady!" Clark recited, reading from a small scrap of parchment that he had taken from his jacket pocket.  
  
Quickly, he scrambled to his knees, remembering that it was customary when proposing marriage, and pulled out a golden ring with a large diamond set in the middle. Her eyes widened as a combination of his awful rhyming skills, the size of the bauble, and the sheer idiocy of the man to ask for her hand slammed into her all at once. Opening her mouth to inform him of her rejection, she was cut off but a piercing shriek.  
  
"Oh, Natalie!" Elizabeth cried, hurrying over with Will and their father in tow, "This is smashing news! We must inform everyone immediately!" She would have run off and told the entire free world, had her husband not held her back.  
  
With a supportive smile, Will intertwined his hand with her sister's and said, "Congratulations, Miss Natalie. I'm sure you two will be very happy together."  
  
"But...I--," she stammered, unable to believe what was happening. It was as though she was simply watching the event unfold before her very eyes and she could do nothing to stop it.  
  
It was then that her eyes fell upon her father.  
  
He said nothing, but his expression spoke volumes. The bemused smile on his face as he gazed upon his youngest daughter, looking beautiful and poised in her new evening finery and more mature than he had ever noticed before melted any objection she had been preparing to voice.  
  
Unable to kill the pride reflected in his countenance, she stood there in silence as Clark slipped the ring on her finger, rose, and placed a kiss on her cheek, her eyes never breaking contact with her father's. Natalie couldn't bear to embarrass or disappoint him, so she decided to do the only thing she could do in the situation: run away. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Pirates of the Caribbean. But anyone you don't recognize belongs to me! *Evil laughter* Wow, that was dumb. Anyway, don't sue, you won't get much.  
  
Author's note: Thank you for all of your delightful reviews (and for pointing out that I had the no anonymous review box checked off, I'm technologically retarded, but I fixed it, so thank you much!) and such. I'm really getting into the story so I've been updating it almost every day, but I usually get a bit lazy (which is why my OC fic has been stuck at Chapter 5 for weeks now...I'll get to it during the break...) so keep on my case about it. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading, lol! Thanks again! 3 Mimi  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 4)  
  
In all of the chaos that erupted at the announcement of her betrothal to Clark Eaton, Natalie managed to slip out undetected. Casting one final glance back at her beaming father, who was standing at the center of a huge crowd of well-wishers, she smiled, blinking back tears, before running down the path that would lead her to freedom.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Thar she be, gents!" one man said in a harsh whisper as they crept closer and closer to the well-lit estate that stood nobly on the hill before them. As their boot-clad feet hit the cobble stone path leading up to it, not another word was spoken, with every man focused intently upon the job that lay ahead.  
  
Silently, they made their way to the Eaton family home, pausing just outside the front entrance to rehash the plan one more time. Casey Shaw, the captain's weathered, but sharp, first mate, gathered the men in a huddle, softly saying, "Remember, lads, this is a recovery mission. We threaten everything and do nothing. Unless, of course, you are threatened yourself, in which case you may do everything and refrain from doing nothing. Is that understood?"  
  
The crew simply sat there in utter bewilderment, with the man's rather perplexing instructions echoing in their heads, but not registering. Raising eyebrows and whispering to one another, the men tried to find someone who understood the cryptic command. Finally, one of the sailors asked, "Huh?"  
  
The man of twenty was greeted with fifty fists, belonging to fifty angry men, aimed at his face for breaking their cover of silence. Fed up, Casey growled low and mean, "Get on with ye', you scalawags!"  
  
With a hearty roar, the men all dashed for the foyer, kicking down the doors with swords drawn and pistols aimed. While they weren't expecting a crowd of two hundred to be waiting on the other side, they still delighted in the fearful expressions and piercing screams that burst forth upon their appearance.  
  
"On yer feet, nobody moves!" cried Casey, wildly brandishing his dagger over his head for all to see, "Now, where be Master Geoffrey Eaton? Step forward!"  
  
One by one, the crowd slowly parted, all turning back to look at the man the pirate had called for, searching his expressionless face for a hint as to why this was happening. Slowly, he advanced through the trough of guests until he was toe to toe with the tall lanky buccaneer who had called his name.  
  
In a whisper, Geoffrey replied simply, his voice shaking slightly, "I don't have it now, but I will get it for you. Please, just don't do this."  
  
"I believe it's a little late fer you to be makin' requests, Eaton!" he said. Turning to the rest of the men, Casey cried, "'Sack it, boys!"  
  
Immediately, the screams of petrified guests could be heard while all stood there, completely helpless and without weapons, since most parties didn't involve pirate raids, wondering if this moment would be their last. The surly men kept away from the crowd who were huddled close in the center of the room, running to the walls instead where most of the valuable items were displayed.  
  
Watching as the men snatched up everything that wasn't nailed down, and even some things that were, Will furrowed his brow in confusion. There was the grand gala, the unexpected engagement, and the finale of felons...why it was all too strange for them to not be related. What was this, some sort of novella? Something was amiss, and he knew it. Now all he had to do was deduce what that thing was exactly.  
  
Pushing his way towards the outer ring of party-goers, he called out to one of the rogues. In response, the man turned his person, and his pistol, upon Will with a scowl. "Were you not payin' mind when Mister Shaw, there, told you to keep quiet!?"  
  
"My mistake," he replied. Withdrawing three shillings from his waistcoat pocket, he held them out to the man with a question. "If you would be so kind as to tell me, good sir, who your captain might be, I'll be as silent as a church mouse, henceforth."  
  
Eyeing the coins suspiciously, he quickly snatched them from Will's hand as he shouted, "Me cap'in juss so happens to be the most feared pirate in all the seven seas!" At his words, the men took time from their looting and cheered wildly, "Jack Sparrow!"  
  
* * * *  
  
Natalie looked up from the foyer to the house where she had lived for most of her life, one last time. Gazing intently, she struggled to record every small detail of it; the teake banister with all of its natural perfection, the soft light emanating from the candelabras that lined the walls, the scent of the sweet, tropical foliage that seemed to envelop each room with the most magnificent fragrance.  
  
With a melancholy sigh, she shook her head and withdrew a white envelope, sealed with wax that had her father's name scrawled on the front. Inside, there was a letter, assuring him that she was going to be fine and he should not worry about her, but included no explanation as to where or why she had gone. Propping it up against the side board, where someone would be sure to find it, Natalie quickly turned away and left, unable to look at it any longer.  
  
Cautiously, she slunk about in the shadows, not wanting to call attention to herself or be recognized by anyone, for that would foil her escape in an instant. Her feet glided over the dirt path that led to the wharf, her mind off in a state of heightened sensation as fear and anticipation took hold of her. Natalie hadn't been to this part of the island since her arrival when she was seven, but she had always been fascinated by it. Nothing compared to the autonomy of a life at sea.  
  
Hiding behind a pile of crates, she surveyed the area. Since she couldn't charter a boat without being caught by someone and stopped, Natalie had decided that sneaking aboard a vessel was her only choice and she would simply have to rely on her minimal charms and hope for the best.  
  
Peeking out, she saw two ships making birth at the docks, one was currently being guarded by four burly men, shooting the insects in the dirt to pass the time while the other had an old man, doubled over in a chair, fast asleep with an empty jug in his hand. Using her brilliant intellect, she chose the latter, creeping along the brush that lined the perimeter of the clearing before swiftly moving along and up the gangway.  
  
Holding onto the rope handles with a death-grip, she exercised the utmost caution once she reached the top, careful not to ruin her stowaway attempt now that she was so close to getting away with it. Taking a deep, controlling breath, she swung herself up onto the main deck, expecting to find maybe one or two men, even the whole damn crew, but certainly not what she happened upon.  
  
Natalie looked around the completely deserted ship in disbelief. She had done it! With an uncontrollable grin, she clapped her hands at her success, but was interrupted by a loud roar.  
  
"Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A pirate's life for me!" sang a large group of sailors, cheering and drinking as they made their way to the very vessel she was standing upon! Desperately trying to remain unnoticed, she leapt behind a pile of nets into a coil of rope which, both by height and width, fit her perfectly. Her heart pounding so loud that she swore it would give away her location, Natalie balled herself up in her hiding place to wait. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: In the words of the late Captain Barbossa, "I OWN NOTHIN', not the wind on my face--"...no, that can't be right. Anyway, you get the drift...Also, my pirate-speak is severely lacking (as you probably could tell from the last chapter...)...you have been warned. The last few chapters were just set up, now we're starting to pick up with my favorite part...Jack! Avanti con romanza! Enjoy!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 5)  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow's head shot up at the knock on his cabin door. The combination of the loud rapping and his rapid movement proved to make the rum's effect all the more potent. With a wince, he called out, "Come in!"  
  
No sooner had he slurred the words than his crew burst in, dumping armloads of glittering swag on any and all free surfaces in the small room and shouting about their adventures in pillaging to their captain. The excess noise brought his splitting headache to a new level of agony that he hadn't thought existed prior to experiencing it.  
  
With a hefty growl, he silenced the men. "To the deck, boys! Unless it's a rope you fancy having slung 'round your neck, we'd best be leaving!" Jack hollered, "Now off with you!"  
  
The crew took up another cheer as they filtered out of the captain's quarters to the top deck, leaving him to discuss the evening's events with his first mate. Dropping down into his worn wingback chair, Jack put his feet up on the desk and massaged his temples to alleviate some of the throbbing, to no avail. "So, how did you fare?" he asked with a sigh, raising his eyes to Casey.  
  
"Ol' Eaton didn't have the money, but he did have a house full of guests, so we looted to make up for it. Seein' as most of his guests were rich, the booty'll probably amount to a king's ransom!" he said, the thrill of the plunder still raising the pitch of his voice.  
  
At his close friend's account, Jack sat up, putting his boot-clad feet back on the floor and leaning expectantly over his desk. "Whaddaya mean Eaton didn't have the money? The man rivals the damn governor in funds!"  
  
Casey shrugged and replied, "Jack, I'm juss tellin' you what I know. He said he di'n have it."  
  
Puzzled, he tucked the bit of information aside to come back to later. "Did anything else of particular interest happen?" he asked.  
  
Seriously contemplating his question, the second in command thought back to the night's earlier occurrences. Just when Jack was prepared to ask him to get a good night's sleep over it, Casey jumped up out of the wooden chair he had been sitting in, across from the captain's desk. "Come ta think of it, there was somethin' goin' on. They were all congratulatin' the gov'na and Eaton's boy. Probably a weddin's comin' up," he said with a shrug. "Oh, and some bloke asked me who me cap'in was. We answered him right quick and proudly, but I din't find out why. I pro'lly shoulda, right?"  
  
Toying with the pair of braids hanging from his chin, Jack furrowed his brow in deep thought. An engagement involving the Governor and young Eaton...could it be Elizabeth? No, it couldn't have been because William had been after her. That still left the question of who was asking after him! But then who else would be marrying the lad?  
  
Still unsure of all of the details that were swimming through his mind, Jack nodded to his first mate in thanks. "Good work, Mister Shaw. Go keep an eye on the crew. I'll take third watch tomorrow."  
  
"Aye, cap'in. Have a pleasurable evenin'," he said, taking his leave and letting the rough, oak door slam shut on his way out.  
  
Leaning back in his chair once more, he shook his head. "Not bloody well likely!"  
  
* * * *  
  
Will watched through the front window as the last of Jack's men scrambled down the hill by torchlight with Master Eaton's valuables. Through the thin panes of glass, he could hear them bellowing the words to a pirate song that he'd often heard his wife singing. He struggled to suppress a grin at the thought of his old friend, and shook his head as he turned to face the rest of the guests.  
  
"Are they gone?!" asked the governor, his voice rather shrill from fear. After his first major experience with pirates, almost two years prior, when Elizabeth was taken hostage aboard the Black Pearl, he had developed a justifiable aversion to them.  
  
Nodding, he approached the huddled mass at the center of the hall and said, "They've gone. Is everyone alright?" Will's eyes scanned the room before him, but no one appeared to be injured or harmed in any way, as was typical of the captain. He liked to leave survivors to spread the tales of his ferocity throughout the Spanish Main.  
  
Taking one final inventory of the people in attendance, he noticed something. "Where is Miss Natalie?"  
  
An audible gasp could be heard from the crowd who all turned to their neighbors to whisper and seek out the missing girl in their midst. Slowly, as they failed to find her, wails and cries rose and filled the cold, marble echo chamber with haunting sound. Someone in the fray raised up an emerald green, satin fan that she had found on the floor...the same fan that Natalie had been seen with earlier.  
  
This seemed to be enough proof for those present, and suddenly, a holler went up, voicing what everyone else had been thinking. "She's been kidnapped! The pirates have the governor's daughter!"  
  
* * * * 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own it! Move on with your LIVES! Don't sue!  
  
Note: I wasn't very pleased with the last chapter...It was short, I know, but my brain just wants to get to them meeting so here it is. I'm sorry! This chapter is so long!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 6)  
  
Casey watched with a reminiscent smile as some of the new crewmen ran over to the side of the deck to get their first ganders at the wonder that was the city of Tortuga. To those who'd never seen it, the port was nothing more than a childish fantasy. It was only after one had arrived that they realized what it really was...  
  
He remembered his first trip out there, and he doubted that the lady he'd spent it with had forgotten either. Why, yes, that was one hell of a story--  
  
"Mister Shaw," called the captain from the helm, handing the wheel back to Lenny and approaching his first mate. "Drop the port anchor. We'll be here for the day." Convinced of his man's competence, he moved below deck to retrieve the essentials from his cabin.  
  
Nodding sharply, Casey hollered "You 'eard him, men! Drop the port anchor, we're goin' ashore!"  
  
A rousing cheer went up from the crew and they all dashed to their respective stations and went to work, pulling the Cara Mia into the harbor. There were grunts and groans, "heaves" and "ho's" as they yanked on the ropes, but suddenly, a huge commotion started over by the anchor.  
  
Shaking his head and muttering under his breath, something about how many morons it takes to toss a chunk of metal over board, Casey hurried over to see what all the fuss was about. "What is it--," he asked, pausing as he saw precisely what IT was. Tipping his head to the side, he quoted his captain in the shock of the discovery. "Well, that's interesting."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Oh, where are you hiding!" shouted Jack, crawling about on the floor and rifling through the many papers that littered its surface in search of something of great importance. "Aha!" Shimmying under his desk, his hand fell upon the desired document. But before he could even relish in his success, there was a frantic knock at the door and then it flew open. Startled, he jumped and slammed his head against the rough wood, emitting a painful yelp shortly afterwards.  
  
Casey looked at the captain, who, at present, had his rear end facing out, wriggling about in an effort to free himself from the desk, and raised an eyebrow. "Cap'in, we found something you might be interested in. That is, if you could spare a moment."  
  
Rolling his eyes, Jack cursed whatever god existed for allowing a member of his crew to see him in such a state. "I'll never live this down," he muttered, slowly backing out of the small enclosure.  
  
Hopping to his feet, he whirled around and his eyes slammed into the mossy green ones of a stranger...a very female stranger. Furrowing his brow, he silently wondered why she looked so frightened. "Who are you?"  
  
She opened her mouth to respond, but Casey jumped in with his account. "She's a stowaway, cap'in! The men found'er in the extra anchor rope. Almost threw her over board, they did! She won't talk though."  
  
"Well, I wonder why," he responded, his eyes never leaving hers. She really did have remarkable eyes. Shaking his head, he brought himself back to reality. Knowing that he'd get absolutely nowhere with his first mate interjecting at every chance he was given, he dismissed him. "Mister Shaw, I think I'll just take it from here."  
  
The man looked puzzled. "Are ye sure, sir?"  
  
Nodding prolifically, he sighed, feigning boredom, and added, "Interrogation can be awful boring, but it comes with the duties, I fear. If you would, take the men ashore. I'll join you when we're through here."  
  
"If ye be insistin' Cap'in." Turning to leave, the man called back, "Juss beware, women are a frightfully persuasive lot, they are."  
  
"Yes, yes, of course. Thank you, Shaw. I'll keep that in mind." Jack said, slowly closing the door as the man exited at the pace of a snail. As the final thud of the oak resonated in the quiet room, he turned back to his guest. "My apologies, luv. He means well."  
  
Crossing the room, he motioned for her to take a seat across from his desk, but she declined. "Actually, sir, I would really like to explain my presence on your vessel here, if you'd allow me to."  
  
Raising an eyebrow, he paused half-way through, attempting to sit down in his chair to say, "Well, someone's just rearing to go... How 'bout you tell me your name instead, luv?"  
  
"My name is Miss Natalie Swann of Port Roy--."  
  
"It can't be," he said, plopping down in the stiff chair with his dark eyes wide and full of questions. Leaning across the desk, Jack let out a humorless laugh and asked, "You aren't related to a Miss Elizabeth Swann, are you?"  
  
He watched, in complete fascination and total anticipation, as she let out an exasperated sigh and responded, "Regrettably, yes. She is my elder sister, why do you ask?"  
  
His mouth dropped open in shock. "Since when is there more than one Miss Swann?"  
  
"Since I was born!" she exclaimed, "Although everyone has been so inclined to ignore my existence since her 'oh so horrific' brush with pirates." With a sigh, she shook her head, discouraged that she was just as invisible out of Port Royal as she was in.  
  
"Miss Swann," he said, leaning further over his desk and lowering his voice to a mere whisper, "I am Captain Jack Sparrow." In silence, he waited, no hoped, for the information to register in her mind. It would be nice to be feared, or even revered, for once.  
  
The second those words escaped his lips, it was Natalie's turn to collapse into the nearest chair with an expression resembling that of a gutted fish. Stumbling over her words, she choked out, "Jack Sparrow!" She looked around her, and added in a hushed tone, "Then THIS is the Black Pearl? No offense, but I had imagined it to be a bit more terrible than this."  
  
With a sneer he muttered, "Everyone's a critic." Rising from his chair, he paced across the cabin to the row of small square windows and looked out at the bustling city below. "And, in answer to your question, no, this is NOT the Pearl."  
  
Returning his eyes to hers, he walked back again and elaborated upon his answer. "I had promised a ship to a member of my crew, and the one I had planned to give to her was retaken by the Royal Navy. She didn't seem to care about the circumstances, and, in turn, I lost me ship. You happen to be floatin' upon the Cara Mia, one of my...erm... Italian conquests," he added, with a mischievous grin.  
  
Natalie then stood up and turned to face him, her emerald eyes boring straight into his, as if she was trying to read his thoughts, which unsettled him a bit. "So, Captain, what are you going to do about me?" She bowed her head slightly, expecting a death sentence or something dreadful like that.  
  
"Well, we never touched upon WHY you are on my ship," he said, crossing his arms across his chest, trying his best to look formidable so as not to discredit any of the rumors she had heard. He tipped his head back with a devilish smirk, but quickly gave up looking suave. "So, why are you on my ship, Miss Swann?"  
  
Sighing, she leaned upon the back of the wooden chair in front of her and began her tale. "Last evening, I was at a party given by a Master Geoffrey Eaton." Tugging at her deep green frock, she added, "Hence my rather uncomfortable attire. Anyhow, his idiot of son, for one reason or another, proposed marriage to me and before I could decline, the entire island had heard. I couldn't bear to break my father's heart, so I left a note explaining my absence at home, and stowed away on your ship."  
  
The captain simply stood there, his kohl rimmed eyes wide and his mouth gaping in complete shock. Eaton, the debt, the engagement, it was all too uncanny to be real! "This is unbelievable," he said, shaking his head.  
  
"What is it, Captain?" Natalie asked, her voice rising in fear of what he would do to her. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she wondered if she'd be swallowed whole or ripped to shreds by sharks if he made her walk the plank.  
  
"Do you even realize..." he paused, a hand flying to his head in the utter insanity of their situation. Regaining his composure, he attempted his explanation once more. "My crew pillaged Geoffrey Eaton's house last night to reclaim a debt that was owed." Furrowing his brow, in deep concentration, he pieced together the information he had acquired. "He must have known we would come for the money eventually, money he didn't have. Not that you aren't charming, luv," he gave her a long, appreciative stare before continuing, "Believe me, you are. But the man was probably just looking after your father's funds, not your heart." Moving to her side, he casually slung an arm about her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Do not despair, darling, you'll find someone. Eventually."  
  
Brushing his hand from her shoulder and shooting him a withering glance, Natalie replied calmly, "Well, if what you say is true, I am relieved that Master Eaton, the younger, does not feel anything for me." Clearing her throat, she struggled past the emotion that had suddenly surfaced at the realization that no one, not even Clark, cared for her. "But even though I cannot marry him, since I am not there, my father is still vulnerable to them."  
  
"Maybe. The fact remains that you are, indeed, stranded here on the Cara Mia, unless I decide to..." he narrowed his eyes, for effect, and then forged on with his statement, "Dispose of you, of course."  
  
She immediately turned to face him, grabbing hold of the flimsy, cream colored material of his shirt and raising her eyes to his, which had all the impact of a boot to the gut. "Please, sir, you mustn't! I promise to earn my keep if you allow me to stay on here. I'll learn the ways of the sea and I'll be just another one of the crew!"  
  
Leaning in closer, he whispered, "Ah, but the fact remains, luv, that you aren't just another one of the crew." Pulling away from her grasp once more, Jack motioned to her and added, "How do you expect to work on a ship looking like that?"  
  
"I--I--I'll find a way, Captain. Please?"  
  
Contorting his rather becoming face in deep thought, he nodded, "I'll consider it. I must go ashore to join me crew, you will stay right here. DO NOT MOVE!" With a sigh, he moved towards the door. "Some of your friends seemed to have extreme difficulty with that rule, in particular."  
  
Smiling, she waited until the door clicked closed before moving towards the window. Looking out at the action in the streets of Tortuga, Natalie grinned, saying, "Stay here? Not bloody well likely!" 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. In fact, after watching this flick, I developed an aversion to coinage of all sorts. Suing me wouldn't be wise.  
  
Note: Thanks for all of your reviews! I asked for your honesty, and I got just that. Unfortunately, I can't really do anything about it this late in the game. So, I'm afraid you all must bear with the stale plot and stomach the fact that her name is Natalie (I ran an old English name search and that's how I decided upon it, FYI, : ). TRY to enjoy, lol.  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 7)  
  
"Search everywhere!" cried Governor Swann, the fear in his words all but tangible as it rose above the crowded hall, "Bring anything you find immediately to me! I must know where that madman is taking my daughter!"  
  
The people, who had been in that room since sunset the evening before, worked by the first rays of the sun that were peeking over the horizon, scattering about like a gaggle of old hens, each searching for the solution that would bring the young Miss Swann home and deliver them into the governor's favor.  
  
No one investigated with more fervor than the Eatons.  
  
"Father, why, exactly, are we searching for her? Does it even matter anymore?" asked Clark, taking great pains to kneel in such a way that wouldn't dirty his breeches. The way his father had been talking, it would be the last new pair for a long while.  
  
Geoffrey raised his eyes in bitter wonderment of why he was cursed with such a mindless dolt for a son, then continued to push the potted palm aside to check for any clues. "It is because you were engaged that you must participate in the rescue. The man isn't going to hand over his fortune just because you had planned on marrying her!"  
  
"Oh, dear," sighed Elizabeth, slipping her arm through is and leaning her head up against the wall of his chest, relishing the sound of his breathing, the one thing that, at the moment, had remained constant. Looking across the room, she watched as young Clark Eaton searched beneath a table for some hint as to where his love had gone, and her heart broke for him. "I do hope she's alright, Will. She was finally happy, she had finally found her place, and now she's gone."  
  
At his wife's softly spoken words, he placed a reassuring kiss into her fragrant hair, and then rested his chin atop her head. "Darling, there is nothing to worry about. This is Jack Sparrow we're speaking of! Natalie is the perfect medium to pass along his legacy of 'tyranny' on the high seas to land. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. I'm certain of it."  
  
* * * *  
  
"So then, I ran through the armory, with nothing more than a pistol with two shots and little powder, the entire French army following close behind!" shouted Jack Sparrow, pausing briefly to take a swig from the jug of rum in front of him and delighting in the pained expressions of his audience, who seemed anxious to hear the grand finale.  
  
Slamming the glass container down on the table, he suffered their request. "So I shoot behind meself once, killing four soldiers, all lined up one behind the other, and then my last shot hit a row of powder kegs! As the explosions began, I ran as fast as my legs would carry me to the exit on the far side, and at the crash of the last detonation I..."  
  
The words died in Jack's mouth, which had gone dry as parchment, as his eyes fell upon Natalie Swann walking into the tavern. No longer was she wearing that enormous dress, but instead, a pair of worn, brown britches fit her lower half to perfection and a billowing, formerly white shirt hung loosely from her frame, dipping down low on one shoulder, revealing her creamy, pale skin. Her hair had been freed from the restrictive knot at the nape of her neck and now hung freely in deep auburn waves down her back.  
  
Mumbling a quick farewell to his very disappointed listeners, he rose from the wobbly wooden chair and hurried over to her side, grabbing hold of her forearm and pulling her out the front door and into the thick of Tortuga vice. Looking side to side for a safe place to keep her, he decided the only area decent enough for the lady on this Godforsaken island would be his ship. And so, he started to pull her to the left, in the direction of the Cara Mia.  
  
Wide-eyed and speechless, Natalie watched in shock as he violently tugged her along, feeling, once again, like a child. Humiliation stung her cheeks as the unwashed miscreants took time out of their busy lives of debauchery to point and laugh at the sight she made, being disciplined by Captain Jack Sparrow.  
  
Regaining her voice, her eyes narrowed as the anger consumed her. "Unhand me now!" she hollered, pulling back to escape his grasp.  
  
"How 'bout no!" he said with a glance back, only tightening his hold on her wrist. This really wasn't fair. Out of all the ships, with all of the captains, in the entire world, why the hell did he get stuck babysitting!  
  
Turning up onto the gangway, Jack tossed her on deck, and hopped aboard right after. Trying not to look at the picture she made, rubbing her wrist and looking up at him with blind hatred, he tried to remain cool when he asked, "What did I tell you just before I left, Miss Swann? Huh? Please. I'd like to know, for I have forgotten!"  
  
With a sigh, she bit back a string of insults in response to his patronizing tone and replied, "You said not to move, but I--."  
  
He cut her off quickly, reiterating his instructions once more for her. "I said NOT TO MOVE! Is there anything in those few words that you find cryptic or confusing in any way!? I'd be thrilled to clarify for you, lass!"  
  
Hopping to her feet, she jumped at him, yelling a reply directly to her face. "I'm frightfully sorry, Mister Sparrow, but I don't relish being told what I can and cannot do! In case you've forgotten, that is precisely why I left!"  
  
"Ah, yes, why you left! Let's dwell on that delightful bit of information for a while, shall we?" he shouted, waving his hands wildly about above his head. "I am placing my crew at great risk by keeping you aboard, missy! Did it ever once occur to you that the incredibly uptight citizens of Port Royale might believe that you were kidnapped? They already know that I am the captain, all they have to do is seek the damn fleet on me now!"  
  
She fell silent at his words, and slowly backed away from him. Raising her chin, she calmly stated, "No, I hadn't thought of that. I wouldn't dream of imposing so I will just stay here in Tortuga. Farewell." And with that, she started for the gangway.  
  
His arm shot out and stopped her from leaving. From beside him, she raised her eyes to his and his stomach did some odd sort of nose dive. Training his eyes to look at the boom directly in front of him, he explained himself. "Norrington will have an even better reason to hang me if I leave you in such a place as this. You will stay with us for the time being, until we decide what to do with you. Savvy?"  
  
Natalie simply nodded and replied, "I thank you for you graciousness, sir."  
  
Dropping his hands from her, he stalked off across the deck. "There really is no need for such formality, Miss. You aren't a member of my crew so you can just call me Jack."  
  
She smiled and walked over to his side, reciprocating his gesture. "Very well. But if I am to call you Jack, then you must call me Natalie." Copying his former utterance she gave a pirate-like growl and said, "Savvy?"  
  
Raising an eyebrow, he struggled to suppress a grin, but feigned little amusement. "Do me a favor, would ya? Never do that again. It really doesn't suit you, luv." In response, her laughter rang out, clear and strong, and his gut turned over again. Changing the subject, he sent her a wink. "So, Natalie, where exactly did you lose that dress of yours to?"  
  
"Ah, wouldn't you like to know!" 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Okay, so I'm running out of quasi-cute ways to say 'I don't own this film', so I'll leave it out. Just know that this simple fact tears me apart : )  
  
Note: Reviews make me smile. Keep 'em coming, please! Terreis, you're a sweetie! Happy Chrismukkah to all and a Happy New Year too! I really hate this chapter...I've been stuck on it for days! GRR!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 8)  
  
It only took Jack the better part of an hour to realize that his decision to keep Natalie on may not have been the wisest. Now that they were out of land's sight and encounters with other ships were few and far between, there was nothing left for him to do but slowly succumb to her all- encompassing presence. Why, he hadn't a chance in Hell of keeping a single thought in his head with her around, let alone run an entire ship!  
  
She was electrifying! Her laughter seemed to forever float upon the cool sea breeze, carrying it to his ears no matter where he was on board. She was always quick to smile and when she did, she was never coquettish or coy about it, just genuine.  
  
And those damned eyes of hers, they were bewitching! The same deep green color of the seas he loved to sail on, and just as mysterious. They sparkled with gold when she was in good spirits, but when she lost her temper, they turned dark, almost black, like the ocean just before a squall is about to strike. Natalie, with her utter perfection, had the entire crew bamboozled, including the captain.  
  
In all honesty, he couldn't complain either. It was nice having a woman around, for a change.  
  
Ana Maria had been the only other lady he'd ever sailed with, but she was less a lady than she was just another one of the boys, so, in essence, she didn't really count. She commanded cooperation with threats, and usually it worked because she could flatten each and every crewman on his back, and they all knew it.  
  
Natalie was feminine and lovely, but it seemed to work in the same way, for no one wanted to disappoint her. The food no longer tasted like the sole of an old shoe since she gave Spits some help in the galley and the Cara Mia had never looked tidier than after she hollered at the crew for leaving their belongings all over. All in all, the men were considerably less difficult with her on board, all of them trying to get a grin or a few words from her so they could go brag about it to the rest.  
  
It was going to be hell getting rid of her, thought Jack, shaking his head as he looked out over the sea. Suddenly, a few shouts from the aft found their way to his ears and he stormed off to see what was going on. The men were all gathered in a huge heap at the base of the second mast, their eyes all trained upwards. He followed their line of sight and his heart died with a thud in his chest at what he saw.  
  
Apparently, Natalie had lost her mind, for she was halfway up the cargo net that led to the crows nest, the highest point of the ship. "Move, now!" Jack shouted pushing his way through the crowd. It was all he could do to just look up in awe, completely petrified for her. "Natalie!" he yelled, "Get down from there, will you!"  
  
She heard him calling her, but she refused to stop. Not when she was this close to reaching the top! She was on a pirate ship, why not do the most dangerous and unladylike thing on board. With a grin, she continued her climb.  
  
He stood there, slack jawed, as she simply ignored his command and kept on going. Driven by the fear and anger that coursed through his veins at the mere sight of her, he quickly dropped his belt and hat and scrambled up the net after her.  
  
Natalie felt the extra weight drag down the bottom of the netting and heard him grumbling profanities that she had never even heard of until that moment, and hastened her ascent. With each hand-hand-foot-foot bound, she came just a little bit closer to sitting on top of the world, and she wasn't about to let anyone, not even Captain Jack Sparrow, stop her!  
  
* * * *  
  
"Elizabeth, you must stay here. Your sister is already in enough danger, and it would be impossible for me to devote myself entirely to her rescue if I must worry about you as well," Governor Swann said with a small smile, patting her on the head before calling a "Farewell" and walking up the gangway onto the Dauntless.  
  
She bit back a string of rather impolite speech and balled her fists at her sides. Even marriage couldn't bring her into adulthood in her father's eyes! Putting her anger on hold for a moment, she reached out for Commodore Norrington's sleeve as he passed by. He turned to face her and smiled, "Hello, Elizabeth! You look lovely this evening, despite all that has happened."  
  
"Why thank you, James," she replied with a smile, her mind searching for a similar compliment. Motioning to his uniform, she burst out with, "Um, blue suits you. Fabulous shade, if I may say so."  
  
The puzzled look he sent her was enough to inspire her to end her flattery. "James, I need to come with you. I simply cannot wait here and do nothing. She's my sister."  
  
With a sigh, he shook his head. "Darling, you know I cannot. Your father--."  
  
"My father is governor, yes, but you are the pinnacle of the British Navy! Override his decision! William and myself, we have sailed with Captain Sparrow before, we could be of use!" she said with fervor. Raising her eyes to his she pleaded with him, "Please, James. For me?"  
  
With a sigh, he threw his hand in the direction of the gangway, and said blandly, "After you, Miss Turner." Simply nodding as she rejoiced and her husband smiled at him, he inwardly cursed himself for his weakness, and followed them up. "Make ready the vessel, gents, we sail!"  
  
* * * *  
  
Natalie swung her leg over the side of the railing and backed up until she was flush against the mast and sighed. The pirate flag fluttered proudly in the breeze above her head, but she couldn't hear much of anything else. Looking out over the sea, it looked as smooth as fine silk, coating everything beneath her with its beauty. The sun was just starting to sink below the horizon, painting the sky with every color imaginable.  
  
Jack, now very dizzy from the exertion and the two bottles of rum he had knocked back that afternoon, lifted himself over the banister and into the crow's nest with her. He opened his mouth, prepared to lambaste her for driving him completely insane, but froze at the sight of her. She stood there, pinned up against the mast with a bemused smile gazing out at the miles and miles of open ocean.  
  
He remembered his first time up there. It took a crew of seventy's insults and a good hour or so to get him up there, but once he climbed into that basket, he never wanted to leave. There was no good or evil up there, no right or wrong, no strength or weakness. It was just a sailor and the whole world, with no interruptions.  
  
"Natalie," he began, knowing he had to get her down from there eventually, but she turned to him, the sunset reflected in her eyes and its dying rays turning her hair to russet as it floated on the sea air, and laid a hand across his mouth.  
  
"Shhh," she whispered, "Not now." Grabbing hold of his hand, she pulled him over to her small side of the crow's nest and leaned back against him, wrapping his arms around her. Together, they simply stood there and watched the sun take its leave, neither one speaking.  
  
When just a sliver of the day star remained visible, they wordlessly broke apart and started down the net again, him first with her following ahead. The men cheered as her bare feet hit the oaken boards of the deck, and in response, she smiled but moved past them to the very front of the ship.  
  
Jack nodded to the men who patted him on the back for getting her down, but his mind was elsewhere. Something was happening. Something that was much bigger than he'd ever anticipated, and now he had to figure out what he was going to do about it. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Swords clanging, the duel continued. "Tell me, Walt Disney Co., are we to be two jealous assholes locked in an epic battle until Judgment Day when trumpets sound? Hum?" To this, Michael Eisner sniffed and ran his blade  
through GooseLives' heart, scoffing, "Basically."  
  
*I don't own this, but what else is new, nice gals always finish last...*  
  
Note: Let's see how long I can keep up this romantic vibe before I get squeamish and leave this story for dead, shall we? Reviews make me smile! So does my new PoTC tee-shirt! I hope your holidays were pleasant! Do I have ADD? Plastic Bag! Plastic Bag!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 9)  
  
Geoffrey Eaton was up to his clear, blue eyeballs in trouble, and still sinking.  
  
His son sat in the wingback chair at the far corner of their cabin on board the Dauntless, inspecting his fingernails for any sign of filth and periodically raising his eyes to his father in wonderment that the fine, British carpet wasn't showing signs of wear after all of the pacing the older man had been doing. Why, the mere rate of his gait was enough to inspire dizziness!  
  
With an exasperated sigh, Clark soon abandoned his vow of silence and said, "Oh, will you have a seat already, Father? Between your unending treading and this rickety old boat swaying so, I just might relieve myself of my lunch!" Leaning back in the red leather chair, he massaged his forehead and closed his eyes, trying to imagine himself on dry land.  
  
His jaw hanging open like that of a dead fish, Geoffrey halted and simply stared at his son in complete astonishment, practically speechless. "What are you about!?" he shouted, waving his hands wildly above his head. "Sometimes I think that you and I simply aren't sharing the same universe! How can you not comprehend what is going on here!?"  
  
"You are too stressed, my good man," Clark said, his tone expressing how obvious he found the problem to be, "All you do is scheme and fret when you should be enjoying all that the world has to offer...like I do." Crossing one leg over the other, he pulled out a cheroot and inhaled deeply before lighting one end and calmly puffing away on it.  
  
The man's eyes widened to the size of bread plates as he stormed over to his son. Looming over him, he locked his boy into the chair by leaning on both arms so he would be sure to hear. "You insufferable TWIT! Of course I am stressed!" He brandished the smoking cigar after snatching it from a very surprised Clark and whispered fiercely, "I cannot 'enjoy all that the world has to offer' because that costs MONEY, and without my 'scheming and fretting', you wouldn't be able to either!"  
  
Geoffrey fought the urge to jump for joy when his son did nothing but blink in response, so he continued to vent his frustrations. "You, my dear boy, should be fretting as well because not only do we have a decided lack of funds and pirates after us, but now we also have to conceal these facts from the governor, the commodore, and a whole lot of soldiers, who, just in case you have forgotten, WE ARE TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN WITH!"  
  
Clark blinked once more, swallowing past the lump in his throat before self-consciously muttering, "Oh."  
  
"Yes, 'oh'," he said matter-of-factly, turning quickly on his heel and stalking out of the dimly lit cabin and up to the main deck, into the all engulfing blackness of night.  
  
* * * *  
  
Jack stood at his watch, looking out at the world, beneath its veil of darkness, simply adorned with the full moon and her many stars, with unseeing eyes. Funny, he'd always relished his time as lookout; he even found it peaceful on occasion. But that was before today. Frustrated, he called out to the nearest sailor to take the wheel from him and made his way up to the quarter deck to be alone.  
  
Sliding his calloused hand over the smooth, wooden banister, he inhaled deeply, taking the balmy sea air into his lungs in an effort to calm himself. But despite the quiet lull of the whitecaps against the keel and the stillness of his surroundings, Natalie was on his mind, as she had been for the past three days, and there wasn't much of a chance that his thoughts of her would go away any time soon.  
  
He had no idea when it happened, how or even why, but Jack no longer thought of her as that bonny miss who had taken up residence on his ship quite unexpectedly. She had now become that bonny miss who had taken up residence in his heart quite unexpectedly.  
  
Sure, she was pretty as hell, but he had bedded some of the most beautiful lasses in the world, some who even physically surpassed her charms. Natalie was smart too, but so were most people he'd come across in his travels in comparison to himself. She was fiery, but Ana Maria was more so, and he could hardly tolerate that woman!  
  
The buccaneer had been through his thoughts time and time again, searching for a logical reason, and, in turn, a cure for his ailment, but it was all for naught. Jack was still just as unaware of the answer as he had been at the beginning.  
  
With a moan, he leaned over the railing, raking his fingers through his long, tangled hair and asked, "Oh, why me!?"  
  
"Is something amiss?"  
  
The softly spoken inquiry drove him from his sorry state, and his head snapped up in response. Sending a biting look skyward as a rather acerbic sign of thanks for his God awful timing, Jack straightened up and spun about. He knew precisely who he was going to find standing there, but his reaction to her was a bit unexpected.  
  
The wind was all but knocked from him as his eyes careened into the beautiful picture Natalie made, bathed in pale moonlight with her glossy tresses aloft in the mild sea air. It was all Jack could do to simply stand there and stare at her, his brow furrowed as all manner of thought and feeling coursed through him.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
The concern in her utterance that was also reflected in her eyes drew him from his thoughts and into the realization that she was, indeed, speaking to him and did require an answer, preferably some time in the near future.  
  
With a quick twitch of his mustache into a reassuring grin, he soon fell back into confusion, forgetting what she had even asked in the first place. "Hum?"  
  
Moving towards him, she raised an eyebrow in quiet inspection. "Are you foxed?"  
  
That was a fair assumption. Raising a hand in front of his mouth, he exhaled a few times and quickly sniffed the air for any sign of alcohol. Shaking his head, he replied, "Unfortunately, no."  
  
Natalie rolled her eyes at his response, fighting to hold back a smile in fear of encouraging the man, and moved past him to the rail. Gazing out into the endless night, she rested her hands on the sea-sprayed, weathered wood and sighed at the beauty of it all, wishing she could stay there forever. With him.  
  
"So, what brings you here at this hour?" he asked softly, coming up beside her, "Couldn't sleep?"  
  
Nodding, she elaborated. "I have a lot on my mind, it seems." Realization dawning on her, she asked, "Am I bothering you by being here?" Natalie fixed her eyes on the breaking waves below them, avoiding those of the man who had occupied her thoughts for hours on end. Softly, she added, "If you want me to leave, I'll understand."  
  
"Nothing could be further from what I want, luv." It was only after he made that bold statement that he wished he wouldn't think out loud all the time. It was obvious that she had caught hold of his words, for those eyes of hers rushed to his.  
  
With a humorless laugh, he struggled to ease the tension he'd created with a joke. Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, "I must admit, your company is a refreshing change from the scalawags I usually share me watch with."  
  
Natalie chuckled softly at his comment, but the thrill of experiencing the warmth of his lips against the cool, exposed column of her neck, had quickly taken over her senses.  
  
She knew he was still hovering beside her for she could still feel his slow, even breathing as it met her skin. Slowly, she turned her head and found herself scant inches from his, which set her pulse to racing.  
  
Her eyes narrowed in concentration as they roved over his features, memorizing him through the shadows of the pale moonlight. At first glance, the captain was simply filthy and bizarre looking, but as she stood there, peering up at him, all she could find was a harmonious sort of perfection.  
  
He had a rather regal air about him, his cheek bones were high and his nose was strong and proud, in spite of his involvement in many a fist fight which he had alluded to in the past. Wordlessly, she raised her hand to his cheek, moving her fingers leisurely across his skin which bore the coloring of the sun and the moisture of the sea.  
  
Jack's gaze flew to her hand, wondering if she was preparing to soundly slap him. Much to his relief, she didn't strike, but the feelings that surfaced as a result of her silent exploration were enough to make him wish she had. At least he knew how to deal with blind hatred and cruelty.  
  
She watched as his down set stare moved to hers. The captain really did have beautiful eyes. The color of fine brandy and rimmed in black kohl to keep the sun out, they glistened beneath the muted glow of the night sky, not once straying from hers.  
  
The seconds they had spent standing there soon felt like an eternity, when someone started to approach. She had no idea who moved first, nor did she care at the moment. Her eye lids fluttered to a close and she lifted her chin to receive what she had been waiting her whole life for.  
  
In his entire career of piracy, with all of the trappings of murdering, pillaging, and debauchery, Jack couldn't recall ever being more scared than he was at that moment, closing in on Natalie.  
  
With a silent prayer to any and every god or goddess he had ever learned of throughout his many exploits in his lifetime, he swiftly closed the distance between them, capturing her lips beneath his.  
  
* * * *  
  
Bahahaha! I'm leaving you hanging because this chapter is taking me forever! I'll get you the rest of it soon enough! Enjoy, kids! 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: "GooseLives then stumbled back into the moonlight that had come streaming through a break in the cave formation above her head, revealing herself to be of the undead as well. Her skeleton draped in decaying skin and the remnants of her Pirates of the Caribbean tee shirt, now shredded thanks to the sword of her opponent, Michael Eisner, she examined her bony hand. With a toothy grin, she stood juggling Natalie, Clark, and Geoffrey and said, 'Well, that's interesting.'" I do own something! Amo against the Disney Machine! Huzzah! Huzzah! Okay, I'm done now...  
  
Note: I know this is short, but I ended in a really weird place and writing this has been like pulling teeth. I'm running low on ideas, so anything you've got for me would be greatly appreciated. I love you kids, enjoy.  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 10-- Ha! Double digits!)  
  
Their lips met and it took every ounce of propriety that existed in his wily body to avoid losing control over himself. He'd kissed many a girl in his day, and his trysts with them had been a lot less tame than this, but he'd never felt this before. It was like--  
  
He was tugged from his musings when he felt her pull away from him. Startled, he searched her expression for some clue as to what she was thinking, and he was rewarded with a smile. Resting her forehead against his, she sighed, "Jack."  
  
With a grin, he lifted his hands to cup her face, wondering if his name had ever sounded better than coming from Natalie's incredible lips at that very moment. Unable to resist her any longer, he moved in once more, brushing his mouth over hers with an increased fervor that all but took his breath away.  
  
She couldn't believe what was happening. She was on an all-male pirate vessel, kissing the famed buccaneer captain, Jack Sparrow, in her nightclothes! If the circumstances weren't shocking enough, the feelings he had roused in her were.  
  
She had never felt so alive! Clinging to him as he took the very air from her lungs, Natalie smiled against his lips. This was where she belonged; sailing the open seas with this man, nothing stopping them from chasing the endless horizon. This was freedom.  
  
He needed to put an end to this or he would end up taking her right there on the quarter deck! This was all he needed; another reason for the already irritable commodore and company to hang him. And he was almost positive that running off with the governor's daughter would be on the very long list of no-no's.  
  
With much difficulty, he withdrew from the circle of her arms and turned away. He had his crew to protect, and she needed to go back to where she belonged, this wasn't the time to get selfish. Leaning over the railing, he took a deep breath to help him regain his composure.  
  
Natalie simply stared at him, his back facing her as he hung over the banister, in complete confusion. "Jack?" she asked, stepping towards him. Just seconds ago he had been holding her tight and now he wouldn't even face her. Something was wrong.  
  
He heard the uncertainty in her voice and it nearly broke him in two. He needed to pull himself together! He was Captain Jack Sparrow, the most terrible pirate in all the world! He wasn't about to be taken out by a pretty face when he'd beaten all manner of enemies, both human and natural, in his long and distinguished career!  
  
Spinning around to face her, his plan died as his gaze met hers, shimmering with unshed tears, her lips trembling, and blatant hurt reflected in her features. "I--um...What?" he muttered, trying to get his lips to form the correct words, in vain.  
  
"What's wrong, Jack?" she asked, moving closer. Natalie reached out her hand and rested it on his forearm, but he promptly shook it off.  
  
Plastering a grin on his face, he slurred, "Oh, nuthin', really. I-- Oh, bugger." His face twisted in defeat as hers darkened in anger. "Natalie, I can't do this."  
  
She stood there, frozen in shock, but nodded with a smile to avoid embarrassing herself further. "I understand." No, she really didn't, and she wanted so much to tell him so, to shake him and bring him back to Earth because she couldn't be the only one feeling this.  
  
"Good," he said with a smile, inwardly hoping she didn't. He furrowed his brow at his thoughts. No he didn't. Shaking his head, he pulled himself from confusion and bit her good night. "I really must be gettin' back to the helm, lu--lass. Good evening."  
  
She watched as Jack swaggered off, down the stairs and to the wheel, barking at the nearest sailor to get him some more rum. Shaking her head, she cast a final glance over the sea and sky, now beginning to lighten with the first rays of dawn, and walked off below deck to her cabin.  
  
* * * *  
  
"They've been 'ere, commodore!" one soldier yelled, running up the gangway to the Dauntless with a group of seven following him. It had taken them long enough to get back to where the vessel was anchored because it was hidden in a cove on the opposite side of the scalawag port, Tortuga.  
  
The stately man simply nodded at the information. "When were they last seen?"  
  
The man pulled off his cap and wiped the sweat off of his brow. It had helped conceal his identity, for no one would have cooperated if they had known he was of the British Royal Navy, but it itched like the devil. Finally garnishing his superior with an answer, he said, "Sparrah was spotted three days ago. Dragged a dark-haired lass by the wrist, he did. It 'as to be Miss Swann, sir. Seems like the whole town saw 'em. Sailed west from 'ere."  
  
"Good work, gents," he replied with another curt nod. Raising his voice so all aboard could hear, Commodore Norrington shouted, "Hoist the anchor, we sail at dawn." 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: "We're going to steal a story? That story?" GooseLives asked, motioning to the huge Pirates of the Caribbean logo floating off in the distance. Jack's face contorted in a rum-induced sneer, and he slurred, "Commandeer! We are going to commandeer that story. Nautical term." **Jack made me do it, lol! Just kidding, I don't own anything you recognize**  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 11)  
  
After a long night of incessant thinking about the man who refused to be forgotten, Natalie had finally fallen into a restless sleep. When she awoke the following day, the sun was high in the bright blue sky and spilling mercilessly into her cabin window as a reminder that she couldn't possibly stay inside forever.  
  
With a hopeless sigh, she threw back the covers and sat up in the surprisingly comfortable cot. While it was far from the plump down mattress that she was accustomed to sleeping on, it didn't bother her in the slightest anymore, a fact which chilled her.  
  
She was getting entirely too comfortable here and she knew not how long she would be welcome. After last night's fiasco, the good captain probably had the plank all set up, ready to turn her into fish food.  
  
Shaking her head, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and dragged herself to her feet. It wasn't going to be easy, but she had to go on as usual or things would get even worse.  
  
She crossed the room to the chair where she had left her clothes the night before, quickly slipping out of her nightgown and into the pair of worn breeches and white shirt that she had picked up while in Tortuga. Smiling to herself, she remembered Jack pressing her about the matter when he was through hollering at her about it. She never had told him where she'd picked them up.  
  
In truth, she had simply come across a man who had admired it, and not herself, so she offered to trade. It was all rather funny, considering how ecstatic he was about the whole thing. Lord knows what crazy idea Jack had put into his head about the whole thing, but Natalie was perfectly content to let it fester in that hard head of his.  
  
With a smile, she tossed her auburn waves over her shoulder and hurried up on deck. She wouldn't want to anger the captain, after all!  
  
* * * *  
  
Will softly opened the door to the cabin he was sharing with Elizabeth and crept across the wooden floorboards to her side. It was almost noon and everyone else had been awake and on deck for a while, but he couldn't bring himself to rouse her. She hadn't been the same since Natalie's capture and she deserved her rest.  
  
With a smile, he sat down on the edge of her bed and brushed a lock of deep blonde hair from her face. God, she was beautiful. Sometimes, when he woke to see her sleeping peacefully beside him it was all he could do to stare like a slack-jawed idiot in wonderment of his good fortune.  
  
Elizabeth was the best thing that had ever happened to him and nothing but death would ever quell his love for her.  
  
"Hmm," she groaned, turning in bed to face him as her eyelids fluttered open. Dreamily, she smiled up at him murmuring, "Will."  
  
Will brought her hand to his lips and gave it a kiss, softly saying, "Good Morning, darling. I apologize if I woke you. I had just stopped to look in and see if you were well."  
  
Raising a hand, she brushed her fingertips across his cheek and replied, "What did I ever do to deserve you, William?"  
  
He covered her hand with his own and furrowed his brow as he gazed down upon her, wondering how she could ask such a thing of him. "Elizabeth, dear, you were you. There's no better reason in all the world."  
  
Her face suddenly slipped back into seriousness. "Will, what do you suppose Jack wanted with Natalie?" Her eyes met his and she continued, "Do you think he's in trouble?"  
  
Will just smiled, leaning over and planting a kiss on her forehead before replying, 'With a Swann lady on board, that man is most definitely in trouble!"  
  
* * * *  
  
It had been less than an hour since Natalie had waltzed up on deck, looking delightful in the midday sun as she laughed and joked with the crew, and, already, he wanted to throw something.  
  
He had downed nearly a bottle and a half of good strong rum from the time he'd left her the evening before, and now his head felt as though it would simply roll off of his shoulders, thudding all the way. And to add to his frustration, she was acting so.so.  
  
So NORMAL! It was as though last night had never happened! Jack quirked his lips to one side, knowing that this had been his intention when he cut their little assignation short, but it was the principle of the thing.  
  
He was irresistible to women.so how is it that this one wasn't under his thumb?  
  
Damn frustrating, it was!  
  
So there he stood, slouched over the wheel sneering at her as she gave her brilliant smile to everyone on the damn boat but himself. In fact, she was making a point of avoiding him. Aha!  
  
Jack's discovery withered and died in his foggy brain as she spun about and their eyes met in a devastating collision. She seemed to stare right into his soul, and that scared the living daylights from him. God knows what she would find in there.  
  
Much to his surprise, she started over to the helm, stopping a hair's breadth from his own form. "Good afternoon, Captain. I trust you are in good spirits on this fine day, hum?"  
  
He had to grit his teeth of gold to hold back a string of expletives that threatened to burst forth at the cold formality of her address and her perfectly ordinary behavior. "I'm fine, Miss Swann, thanks for askin'," he replied, trying to look past her to the ocean stretched out before the Cara Mia.  
  
She simply nodded and turned to walk away, and Jack suddenly snapped! "Are you infirm or something, Miss?!" he said in a harsh whisper, grabbing her forearm and whipping her around to face him.  
  
He saw shock flash momentarily in her startling emerald eyes before quickly darkening in anger. "Excuse me, Mister Sparrow. You will unhand me immediately," Natalie said, slowly and dangerously.  
  
"It hasn't even been a full day since I had you callin' me name and now all of a sudden you're acting as though it never happened!" Jack said, mere inches separating their faces.  
  
Natalie's eyes grew lethal and, without warning, she slapped him soundly across the face, muttering, "You are a heartless cad, MISTER Sparrow! Good day!" And with that, she stormed off, disappearing below deck to work through her blind rage.  
  
Jack furrowed his brow and ran his hand over his stinging cheek, visibly shaking with fury. Withdrawing a flask from his pocket, he pulled out the stopper and chugged the entire thing, hurling it overboard when he was through. More than a few crew members looked over at their captain in concern as the container whizzed past their heads, and all he could do was growl.  
  
"Damn women! It must be a Swann family trait to be completely VEXING!" 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Never owned it. Never will. I'm coping.  
  
Note: I have no idea what I want to happen next, so this chapter will be as much of a shock to me as it is to you. Thank you for your killer reviews! You keep me going! Enjoy!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 12)  
  
It wasn't fair.  
  
In less than ten minutes, after receiving more than a few growls from the unfortunate crewmen who had to share the space below deck with the madwoman he'd created, Jack was crawling back to her to beg for forgiveness. Yes, apparently the pirate captain had gone soft.  
  
Stifling a bitter oath, he barked orders to the men on deck and disappeared into the lantern lit hull to square with Natalie, a task he was dreading immensely. The look in her eyes before was enough to scare even the sturdiest of men, and after the morning's rum intake, he was no longer all that sturdy.  
  
Making his way along the corridor, he peeked into each doorway looking for her. She wasn't in the galley or the crew barracks, he noted, moving towards the door to his own cabin. Throwing it open, he found it a complete mess.  
  
"Ah, juss how I left you," he said with a grin.  
  
He turned to close it once more and moved to the final door in the long narrow hallway to the room where the Cara Mia kept her treasure...the room where Natalie had been staying.  
  
Preparing to burst into the room, Jack paused and thought better of it, remembering that a girl such as herself would most likely fall to a fit of the vapors at his lack of propriety. Instead, he knocked sharply on the crooked slab of oak, waiting for her to bid him entrance.  
  
The invitation never came.  
  
With a groan, he hollered, "Natalie! I'm coming in on the count of three!" He paused once more, giving her another chance to reply, and when she didn't, Jack began to worry. Hurriedly, he yelled, "One . . . Two . . . Three!"  
  
Pushing open the door, he found her cabin empty. His dark eyes scanned the small room once, then twice, before settling upon the door that lay ajar on the opposite side. "Oh, this bloody woman is going to be the death of me!"  
  
Muttering, he crossed the room, the floor boards creaking under the weight of his boots, and stepped through the doorway, onto the narrow balcony that hung from the stern. Leaning over the rail and staring blindly into the sea, Natalie stood in silence.  
  
Jack felt as though he wasn't being fair, just watching her unguarded and unaware of his presence. Clearing his throat, he put an end to her thoughts, cringing as she jumped in fright.  
  
Her heart leapt in her chest and she quickly swiped beneath her eyes, trying to remove any evidence of the impact he'd had on her feelings. She refused to give Jack the satisfaction of knowing that he made her cry!  
  
Narrowing her eyes, she refused to look at him, but muttered softly, dangerously, "What do you want now? Haven't you had enough fun for one day?"  
  
At her angry words, he opened his mouth to speak, but she jumped in again before he had the chance.  
  
Turning to face him, she gave him a scathing once-over, adding, "You would do well to save your taunting for some other occasion since Lord only knows how long I am going to be stranded here . . . with you."  
  
Jack's eyes darted from her and he sighed, knowing full well that he was to blame for her complete change towards him. "Natalie," he said, searching for the words he needed to say to make her understand, but he could only think of one thing.  
  
"I'm sorry, dear," the pirate said, his dark eyes boring into hers, full of sincerity and remorse. "What I said before was--I just can't--Oh, it's been a long week!" Jack lamented.  
  
Natalie shook her head, unexpectedly slamming her palm down on the wooden banister in frustration, before returning her gaze to him. "Land's sakes, Jack! Will you just tell me what is going on in that head of yours?! I never know where I stand with you because of this aversion you seem to have with saying what you mean. It's simply maddening!"  
  
She had a point, he noted, his mustache twitching as he considered his options. There was the truth, which had the potential to ruin everything before making it better, or there was the lie, which also ruined everything, sans good part. It didn't take a right mind to make that decision.  
  
"Natalie, I'm growing to care for you. Too much, I suppose," Jack answered, his voice soft as he bared his soul to her. "But I cannot let this go on. I need to consider the safety of my men here because if the navy attacks the Cara Mia, there isn't much of a chance of her surviving."  
  
Moving to the railing he looked out at the restless whitecaps, tumbling over one another in ceaseless motion, yet going nowhere, and sighed. "Plus, you need to go back where you belong. Where you'll be safe . . . and happy."  
  
She dropped her head in defeat, not knowing what she should think anymore. She hated him for believing he knew what was best for her, but she understood that he had a responsibility to his crew, one that she had come to deeply care for and would wish no ill will upon. Natalie couldn't help admiring him for his selflessness.  
  
"I understand, Jack," she said softly, moving closer to where he was slouched over the side as her anger slowly dissipated. She saw him glance over at her briefly and she smiled sadly.  
  
Raising her hand to his cheek, she gently forced him to turn and face her as she said, "Just know that this has been the greatest adventure of my entire life and that you are the greatest man I have ever known. I will never forget what you have done for me." Then, she rose up on her toes and placed a soft kiss on his sun-warmed cheek, whispered "thank you" in his ear, and turned to leave.  
  
Let her go, he thought to himself as he watched her walk away, but his heart simply refused to comply. "Natalie . . . wait!" he called, reaching out for her hand and gingerly pulling her back to where he stood.  
  
Unable to resist, Jack lowered his lips to hers and held her tight as he spun off into a world where nothing existed but this incredible woman and these incredible feelings. Natalie didn't fight his ministrations; she simply melted against him, matching his maddening fervor with her own passion.  
  
Unable to close is eyes, in fear that it would all disappear, he watched as a myriad of emotions paraded across her beautiful features. Then her eye lids slowly fluttered open and she pulled back in his arms to smile up at him. He had never seen a woman look more beautiful in his entire life.  
  
"Jack," she whispered, calling him back to reality, and gestured towards the door leading back into her room, her eyes full of trust and her lower lip caught between her teeth in nervous anticipation.  
  
He locked eyes with her and his mouth could hardly form a response. Finally, he stumbled over his answer. "Are . . . um . . . are y-y-you . . . are you sure, luv?"  
  
Natalie squeezed his hand and nodded. "I'm certain that this is what I want," she replied, her voice hushed, "I love you, Jack."  
  
The words washed over him like the warm waves of a crystalline sea, filling him with the most indescribable feelings. She loved him! He felt like shouting it from the masthead! Natalie had said she loved him! And he loved her, more than words could convey . . . more than he'd ever loved anyone in his entire life.  
  
With a grin, he kissed her once more as they stumbled out of the now setting sun and into the lamp lit room, intertwined forever.  
  
* * * *  
  
Will shouted a quick "thank you" back to the cook as he emerged from the galley carrying two shiny red apples, Elizabeth's favorite. He could hardly wait to see her face when he brought them to her, for she had been holing herself up in the cabin again for most of the day and this was just the thing to cheer her up!  
  
With a merry gait, he had started back down the corridor to his room when suddenly, two voices rose above the muffled noise coming from the main deck. ". . . And after I marry that distasteful upstart, you'll be the Governor's new best friend and we'll be set for life!"  
  
He heard the words and the blood in his veins turned to ice. In the shadows of the hull, he waited in silence for the Masters Eaton to leave before he moved. "Ah, that's my boy!" said the elder man, giving his son a pat on the back before they disappeared into their own cabin.  
  
His fingers went numb from the complete shock, and slowly the apples slid from his grip to the floor with a thud. Not wanting to wait for someone to hear it, he hurried into his own cabin. Throwing open the door before quietly closing it again, he spotted his wife in the corner looking out the window and ran to her side.  
  
"Elizabeth," he said, mildly out of breath, trying to make sense of it all so he could relay the important information correctly to her.  
  
Her brows dipped in concern and she softly bid him silence as she pushed a lock of dark blond hair from his eyes. "William, darling, what is it?"  
  
"The Eatons," he began, "They are using your sister to gain access to your father. I just heard them in the hallway." Moving across the room, he sat down in the wingback chair and leaned his palms on his thighs, hanging his head.  
  
Elizabeth's eyes widened and she ran over to Will, sinking down in front of his chair to gain more of an understanding of what was happening. "But . . . how?" she asked.  
  
Raising his troubled eyes to hers, he pawed through the information he had. "Well, the way I see it, Geoffrey must have been pushing his son to propose to poor Natalie so they would then be in the company of your father's funds and his power, as well. Considering how quickly it all happened, I would stake wages that they are in severe debt. Oh, this whole thing makes me sick."  
  
She lifted her hand to her lips in horror and rose to her feet once more. She wanted to scream! She wanted to run down the hall and scream at those despicable excuses for gentlemen until her voice could no longer do so! This was all her fault.  
  
Running her hands through her hair, she turned from Will and walked back to the window, where streaks of golden sunset had begun to pour into the small room. Looking out at the endless ocean, she shook her head and repeated, "This is all my fault."  
  
At her softly spoken admission, Will's head shot up. Going to her side, he said, "Elizabeth, I won't have you blaming yourself for the poor judgment of others. You have done nothing wrong, darling." He wanted to strangle those cads for instilling this guilt in his already traumatized wife.  
  
She spun around to face him, unshed tears shining in her eyes, and cried, "William, I pushed her towards that Eaton fellow!" Shaking her head, she lowered her voice and added, "I told her that she would be happy married to him. No matter how many times she told me otherwise, I refused to stop pushing."  
  
"And now she's gone," Elizabeth said, lowering her eyes in shame.  
  
"Oh, my dear!" he said, placing two fingers beneath her chin and lifting her head so he could look into her beautiful eyes, "You couldn't have known; they had us all fooled. But Natalie is safe from them for now which gives us some time to give those miscreants what they deserve. Justice!"  
  
* * * *  
  
So that's it! The plot has thickened! I apologize for this taking so long; I had oodles of homework to finish. I also know that the whole Natalie/Jack have made love thing is really unrealistic in almost two weeks of knowing one another, but it's necessary for the plot and you will soon see that there is indeed a method to my madness! Enjoy and please review! 3 Mimi 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Why beat a dead horse, eh? I'm poor. Disney's rich. Johnny Depp loves beautiful, French Vanessa and not me. I think I'm getting used to losing.  
  
Note: Depp made #5 on VH1's Hottest Hotties list...eat that, Brad Pitt (#6!!!) Anyway, I love my reviewers!!! You make me smile! Keep it up! Here we go...  
  
Here's To Freedom (Lucky Chapter 13)  
  
Natalie sighed contentedly, savoring the wonderful feeling of having the man she loved so close to her side. With her head resting against the wall of his chest, she watched it steadily rise and fall with a bemused smile on her face. After the evening they had shared, she was almost positive that the only accurate way to describe her state would be "giddy"!  
  
In such a short period of time the man resting calmly beside her had had weaseled his way into her very heart and soul. More surprising than that was the fact that he had done so without lavish gifts and big words . . . all he ever had to do was be himself. That was enough.  
  
He heard her pleasure-filled whimper and couldn't suppress the grin that crossed his lips or the feeling that invaded his heart. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he held her close and said, "I love you, Natalie, you know that?"  
  
At his words, she turned in the circle of his arms and looked up at him, her beautiful eyes full of questions, sparkling in the pale moonlight that had begun to spill into the room. "How did this happen, Jack? Hum?"  
  
"Whatever do you mean, luv?" he asked, shocked at her question. What now? Did she not want him after all? This couldn't be happening . . .  
  
Leaning on him, she traced one of the dark pink scars that wound its way across his chest, her silky tresses spilling onto his bare skin. With a nonchalant shrug, she lifted her gaze to his and replied, "I don't know. It has just been so fast, don't you think. I mean, I don't know much about you and you know almost nothing about me!"  
  
Quirking his lips into a half smile he leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Actually, darling, I'm almost positive that I know just about all of you."  
  
Her soft laughter filled the dank, quiet room with warmth and light. "No, you know what I mean, Jack," she said, lying back down beside him, he head in the crook of his arm before continuing. "What were your parents like? Where are you from? How did you get where you are?"  
  
"Well, "Jack began, toying with a few strands of her hair as he pondered her questions. "I'm from a village on Brandy Wine Bay of the island of Tortola."  
  
"You can't be serious," she exclaimed, her voice full with a potent combination of hysterical laughter and disbelief. "Brandy Wine? No wonder why..."  
  
Smiling to himself, he jovially continued. "Yes, I suppose that is a bit perfect, isn't it? Anyway, I lived in a cottage by the sea with me mum while my father sailed as a privateer for the crown under Ben Hornigold." His voice dipped lower then, adopting a more somber tone as the pain of his boyhood resurfaced, "We found out his ship hit a reef just off the coast of Mexico when I was but a lad, so I went to work on the docks to support meself and my mother."  
  
Jack felt her reach out in the dark, resting her own warm, smooth hand atop his with a sympathetic squeeze, but he simply continued on with his tale. "As I got older, I started going out on short voyages. She couldn't bear the thought of me sufferin' an end like me father did, but I went anyway, on merchant ships, of course. After she died, sailing was all I did for years. When I was about nineteen though, the vessel I was working on was sacked by pirates and they killed almost everyone on board, 'cept me and this friend of mine. Took us in, they did, teaching us the ways of a buccaneer. And here I am."  
  
"That's some story, Jack," Natalie said, her throat thick with emotion.  
  
With a sigh, he tried to get a hold of himself and chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, well, I guess I'm just some gent, huh?" Placing a kiss on her forehead, he switched the subject back to her. "Well, what about you? I'm not about to be the only fool bearin' his soul this evening, am I?"  
  
She snuggled deeper into his embrace and smiled. "You already know most of that story, I fear. There isn't much else to tell."  
  
"Luv, I'd be delighted to hear a death sentence from that mouth of yours, so speak away," he said with a grin, brushing his lips briefly over hers, "How 'bout you tell me what was going on before you happened upon me ship here?"  
  
Natalie lay on her side, her eyes trained on the deep tan of Jack's skin as she regaled him with her story. "Elizabeth was hounding me about getting married and finding my soul mate, or some such rubbish, while being completely fawned over by her adoring public and her perfect husband. I-- ."  
  
"Perfect? William?" he asked, his interest piqued by the manner in which she spoke of him. "Would you be wanting him, then?"  
  
Her eyes widened at the personal nature of his question, but she soon remembered that after all they had shared he had a right to ask. "I don't know. I suppose I was just jealous of her, you know? Ever since the whole kidnapped by roguish pirates and rescued by the damn Royal Navy and the love of her life-thing, her stigma is simply inescapable!"  
  
"Do you know that even Charles Eaton fancied her? My fiancée was practically falling all over himself for the affection of my sister!" Her voice lowered to a mere whisper as she added, "I mean, even though I couldn't tolerate him, it hurts knowing that he never even cared. No one really did."  
  
Raising her chin, she moved her gaze up to meet his and smiled. "That is, until now . . . I love you so much, Jack."  
  
"Natalie, I . . ."  
  
A loud rapping at the door to her cabin cut off his words, and from the other side came a raspy old voice. "Cap'in? Are ya through speakin' with the lass, sir. Yer needed on deck, right quick!"  
  
Squeezing his eyes shut, he prayed that the man would go away as though he was nothing more than a figment of his imagination . . .  
  
"CAP'IN!??!"  
  
No such luck.  
  
Judging by the fair amount of moonlight that now flooded the room with an ethereal glow, he had been below deck with the lady far too long. With an exasperated sigh, Jack pulled himself into a sitting position and hollered, "Yes, Casey, I'll be out in a moment.  
  
Turning to face him, she asked, "Must you really go?"  
  
Wriggling free from the tangled covers, he climbed over her lounging form and stooped beside the bed. Nodding, he shot her a grin and gave her a quick kiss, murmuring, "'Fraid so, luv."  
  
She heard him rummaging around in the dark, getting dressed in the shadows before creeping towards the door. Before slipping out into the corridor, he whispered aloud in the quiet room, "I love you, Natalie." Grinning like a fool, she burrowed deep into the bedding, still warm from his presence, and savored the feeling of finally being cherished.  
  
Crossing his arms over his chest, Jack stood in the dank hallway with his first mate and asked, "So, Casey, what is it."  
  
"Cap'in, it's the Dauntless. She's gainin' on us, sir," the older man said, his craggy face full of uncertainty and even a bit of discernable fear.  
  
Natalie's eyes flew open at the man's softly spoken admission and she bolted upright in the bed. This simply couldn't be happening! Not now . . . As tears began to roll down her cheeks, she craned her neck to listen for more information.  
  
Jack could hardly bring himself to believe that the Fates would be this cruel as he listened to his first mate tell him that in less than a half hour, a hundred-gun ship of the fleet would be bombarding the Cara Mia, looking for his blood and his girl. The whole thing was starting to play out like some twisted novella, meant to drive him completely mad!  
  
After his captain's extended silence, he spoke again. "What are your orders, sir?"  
  
He had told her earlier what he needed to do, if ever the situation arose, so she pulled herself from the bed and felt around for the armoire, where the only dress she had brought along with her was hanging. There was no sense in further frightening the people aboard the Dauntless with her scandalous attire.  
  
Slipping the skirts over her head, Natalie heard his reply.  
  
"We make a stand," Jack ground out, his voice full of stubborn determination, almost daring the other man to try and speak a word against it.  
  
"But, sir! Why . . .!" the man began, panic rising into his voice.  
  
Shooting his first mate a scathing look, he said once more, "We make a stand, Mister Casey. Have the men load the cannons and prepare to fight. Dismissed!"  
  
Natalie stood in silence, half dressed, listening as the man ran down the hall and up the steps to the main deck to relay the news. For a moment she heard Jack's boots walking away, when suddenly, the thumping grew closer. "Pay no mind to what you hear, luv, just don't move. Especially not tonight. I'll always love you, Natalie. Good-Bye."  
  
Had he gone completely daft?! They would all be killed for sure if the Cara Mia so much as attempted to put up a front against the Dauntless. There was simply no way she could allow that to happen. "This is my doing, I must correct it."  
  
Buttoning her dress into place, she hurried over to the desk in the corner by the window, withdrawing a single sheet of paper and a quill from the drawer. Scrawling a brief explanation, a farewell, and an "I love you", she folded it in half and crossed the room, leaving it on the bed where he would be sure to find it.  
  
Taking one last look at the cabin, she moved onto the balcony. Not ten miles from the stern, the Dauntless loomed, charging forward in an endless effort to end her happiness. Looking skyward, she hoisted herself up onto the rail, before plunging, head first, into the cool waters of the open sea.  
  
* * * *  
  
By the way all of Jack's pirate info is true to life from this killer website:  
  
  
  
I hope you're enjoying it, so far...later kids! 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Io sono povero . . . mi dispiace, ma non ho gli attori principali o la storia del film Pirates of the Caribbean . . . sono triste . . . (Just in case you didn't understand my woes in English, there they are in Italian . . .)  
  
Note: I apologize in advance for this chapter. It jumps back and forth so much it's ridiculous, but there, once again, is a method to my madness. The chapter is all weird coincidental action, so I had to do it. You guys rock socks. Keep it up : )  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 14)  
  
"Now remember what we spoke of, darling," Will said, pausing before their closed door and turning to face his wife, making sure she understood what was to happen. "Lord knows, it won't be easy to act casually, but we must wait for the opportune moment to strike. As it stands, we have no way of proving their guilt so we must maintain the element of surprise."  
  
Elizabeth nodded and offered a comforting half smile to her husband, following him out the cabin door, through the dark, damp corridor, and up the steps to the main deck, never letting go of his hand.  
  
The couple froze at the top step, completely baffled as their eyes met the unusual scene on deck. Why, the entire crew was scurrying about the ship at a feverish pace in the midst of the night. Hoisting sails, tugging on ropes, and loading cannons, the men hardly even noticed the presence of the two dumbfounded passengers.  
  
"Ah, Master Turner," came an unusually merry voice from behind them.  
  
Whirling around, Will and Elizabeth found themselves face to face with the Eatons, clad in their finest attire and blinding white grins to match. He gave a quick smile to both men and nodded politely in response to their greeting, praying silently that his wife could maintain her composure.  
  
"And Madame Turner, you are looking fetching this evening if I may say so," Charles said, making an incredibly intricate bow before landing in an elegant heap at her feet. When he lifted his eyes to hers and shot her a wink, she had to fight the instinct to pummel him into the wood grain with her sharp-heeled shoes.  
  
Squeezing Will's hand, she smiled at the two of them and replied, "Why thank you, Master Eaton. You look delightful as well."  
  
William had to bite down on his tongue to keep from laughing as his wife's thinly veiled attempt to be civil caused the boy to blush eighteen different shades of pink. "Gentlemen, if you'd excuse us, we really must be going. Good evening to you both," he said, leading her away from the rogues and up onto the quarter deck.  
  
Staring out at the waves, Commodore Norrington stood at the far side of the platform by the railing. "James!" Elizabeth called, hurrying over to his side, tugging Will along in her wake. "Do you know what is happening? Wait . . . of course you do this is your ship . . .so, what is going on?" she asked, sweetly.  
  
With a haughty smile, he extended his arm behind her and pointed to a growing shadow sitting upon the horizon. "That, Madame, is the Cara Mia." Sensing her confusion as to its importance, he clarified, "That is the ship of Jack Sparrow. We are making excellent time and should be within firing range in no time at all."  
  
"Are you completely mad!?" she shouted suddenly, alarming both of the men in her presence. "Natalie is on board that ship and you are prepared to sink it!? I refuse to allow it, Commodore."  
  
Narrowing his eyes at her cool formality, he refused to allow her to get the best of him again. "Well, I suppose that is why I command the fleet and you do not, Miss Turner. And as for Miss Swann, it is my duty to see that she is not harmed. You can be sure I will not fail."  
  
Will saw her losing her temper and noticed that the stiff military man was also starting to slip, and he intervened. "Commodore, with all due respect, sir, Elizabeth and I could negotiate with Jack for the safe return of Miss Swann. I am sure he will listen to us."  
  
Raising his chin, he pondered the blacksmith's words for a moment before nodding. "Agreed."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Hey! What are you doing, James?" Elizabeth shouted as two men in uniform dragged her below deck and tossed her, quite roughly, into her cabin. "You can't lock me in here! I am to go with Will!"  
  
Poking his head into the entrance, he replied coolly, "You will stay here, Elizabeth, and you will like it. There is simply too much at stake here to be worrying about you as well. Behave." Slamming the door shut as he left, she could hear the key being turned, locking her in.  
  
"Break a man's heart and this is what you get," she said with a sigh, plopping down on the bed to wait. Suddenly, a huge roar from the men on deck drifted to her ears. Raising her eyes, she noticed the door across the room was opened and remembered that it opened onto the terrace that hugged the stern of the Dauntless.  
  
A slow grin spreading across her face, she rose quickly, clapped her hands with the sheer joy of it all, and said, "Stay here? Behave? Not bloody well likely!"  
  
* * * *  
  
Natalie had been in the water for a grand total of five minutes, but as the Cara Mia began to shrink into the distance behind her, her arms began to deaden from the endless paddling, and breathing became more and more of a chore, she could have sworn she'd been at it for hours!  
  
But her mind wasn't pushing her to stay afloat for the obvious, and rather narcissistic, reasons. She needed to get back to the Dauntless alive, otherwise no earthly force would be able to prevent her father, and the commodore, from enacting brutal vengeance on Jack and his men.  
  
* * * *  
  
Elizabeth was careful not to draw attention to herself as she swam past the side of the Dauntless and out to Jack's ship. Pausing briefly at the bow, she listened for the men on deck to be sure they didn't suspect her absence.  
  
"You shoulda seen 'er! Howlin' and carryin' on as we threw 'er intah the cabin! It 'ert not tah laugh!" she heard from above. In response, she narrowed her eyes and muttered, "Animals, the lot of them," before continuing on into the open sea.  
  
Stroke after stroke, breath after breath, she slowly but surely made her way to the great vessel before her. Suddenly, a hand grabbed hold of her forearm and before she could even scream, the other was across her face. The rather strong individual plucked her effortlessly from the water and dumped her into the bottom of a small rowboat, whispering, "Elizabeth, it's Will."  
  
Halting her kicking and grunting, she audibly sighed with relief and looked back at her husband, who had since gone back to rowing the small dinghy forward, and hissed, "Good God in Heaven! You scared me half to death, Will!"  
  
"Well, what are you doing bobbing like a cork in the middle of the ocean at night, hum? And to think I believed Norrington when he agreed to keep you safe for me, the useless blighter." Teeming with frustration and anger, he dug the oars deeper into the dark blue water, his ferocity propelling them towards the Cara Mia at an incredible pace.  
  
Her eyes widened at his words and she nearly shouted out her accusation. "You did WHAT! William Turner, you have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do!"  
  
Dropping the oars into their respective cradles, he flew forward, whispering to her in frightening earnest. "Your welfare became my business when I fell in love with you and vowed to keep you safe in marriage! Now it is your choice to continue being cross with me, or we can work together, get your sister back, and talk about this later. What is it going to be, Elizabeth?"  
  
Dropping her eyes, she replied, "Let's get Natalie, first." In truth, his argument was nothing short of perfection, but there was no way she was going to tell him that. Some things are simply better left unsaid, she mused.  
  
Coming up alongside the Cara Mia, Will secured the small boat to the vessel with some rope and helped his wife up the wooden slats to the main deck. His heart beating wildly in his chest, hoping beyond all hope that the crew wouldn't tear them to pieces before Jack could stop them, he heard her feet hit the planking and shortly after there was a tremendous roar to be heard . . .  
  
* * * *  
  
James Norrington lowered the spyglass from his eye, since he was able to see two arms' lengths in front of him and not much else. He would have to trust William Turner to be true to his word. Why, the mere though of it made him cringe.  
  
With a sigh, he leaned his palms on the rail of the bow. At the moment, there was no one else around, giving him more time than he would have wished to ponder his situation. He had been too hard on Elizabeth. Hell, he had been too hard on himself!  
  
He had cared for Elizabeth ever since he met her on the English crossing, but after her lanky limbs and quirky freckles had blossomed into soft, feminine beauty, he was in love. Everything had been going according to plan until the equally lanky-limbed Will Turner developed facial hair and a limber musculature. There was no hope for him after THAT.  
  
Quirking an eyebrow, he thought aloud to himself, "Surely, I can't be that bad." Giving himself a once over, he nodded, mildly impressed. He had a trim physique, he was clean shaven, and he had a few teeth out of place, but nothing horrendous. He was polite, charming even, and he was commander of the entire British Navy.  
  
How that simply could not compare to a few wiry hairs below one's chin and a dirty shirt that hung open to the navel was beyond him.  
  
"Ah, I suppose I'm just a lost cause then," he answered with a sad smile, looking down at the black water than up at the stars . . . then back down to the water again. Straining his eyes, it took him a few moments to discern what it was that was floating alongside the ship, but he finally made out who it was.  
  
Leaning over the rail for one final peek, he hollered over his shoulder, panic rising into his voice, "Man overboard! It's Miss Swann! We have her!"  
  
* * * * 


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Have you not been paying attention fro the last FOURTEEN CHAPTERS!?? I don't own anything worth owning . . . stop rubbing it in : (  
  
Note: Thanks for the reviews! Snow days make me smile, so I might get two chapters out today . . . this next part is a bit confusing because, again, it switches back and forth, but the waters will calm in a bit, lol. I hope you enjoy it.  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 15)  
  
. . . A roar which abruptly ended in "Elizabeth?"  
  
Swinging his own body over the side, Will took his place beside the woman he loved under the watchful eyes of Jack Sparrow . . . and his entire crew. "Well, Jack," he said, admiring the finely polished wood, crisp white sails, and brand new rigging of the ship, "You've certainly done well for yourself."  
  
With a grin, the captain swaggered over to the couple. "What can I say? I make the Italians crazy!" he slurred, throwing in a nonchalant shrug for good measure.  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Will offered his hand and a smile. "I don't think your power to vex discriminates between ethnicities, my friend. That said, it's nice seeing you again."  
  
Shaking his hand, he replied, "And you as well, mate." His eyes roving over to Elizabeth, he smiled charmingly and brought her hand to his lips. "And you, luv, you haven't changed a bit."  
  
"From the looks of it, Captain, you haven't changed much either," she said in response, eying him suspiciously. He had a tendency to switch allegiances like most people changed their undergarments. Sniffing delicately, she wrinkled her nose. He OBVIOUSLY wasn't one of those people.  
  
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing, Miss Turner?" he asked straightening up and sending her a sidelong glance.  
  
Elizabeth sighed and conceded with a smile. "Truthfully, I haven't decided yet." She raised her eyes to his and spoke what everyone had been thinking to say, "So, Jack, where's Natalie."  
  
Something in his eyes changed at her words, darkening with a defensive glint and cold ferocity. "Men! As you were!" he shouted, walking away from the couple to the quarter deck.  
  
Immediately, the crew scrambled to life once more, busying themselves around the ship, preparing for battle, while the Turners followed doggedly at the Captain's heels. Jack removed his flask from his vest, and tipped it back against his lips, his gaze never leaving the two lovebirds. Offering it to them, he asked, "Care for a drink, would ya?"  
  
"Jack," Will said, a warning tone echoing in his utterance, "We know you have her. I'm sure she's been giving you a hard time of it, so just give her up and we'll be on our way."  
  
The moment his eyes connected with Jack's, he knew that the situation was somehow more complicated than he had imagined. "Elizabeth, darling, why don't you go and check below for her. I'll be along in a moment."  
  
Her eyes darting back and forth between the two men, she sensed something was amiss, but didn't call any attention to it, nodding slowly before disappearing down the stairs and into the hull.  
  
Once she had left, Will took a few steps closer. "What is it, Jack? What happened?"  
  
"What do you mean 'what happened'? I went ashore to collect on a debt and suddenly I have a stowaway and the damn Navy trailin' me ship!" the man hollered, stomping off to hang his head over the railing. With a sigh, he lowered his voice and muttered, "I never meant for any of this to happen."  
  
Will's eyes widened at the potent combination of his words and his tone. He could recognize sorrow of the heart in a snap, considering he had been so well versed in it himself not too long ago. Moving to his side, he tried to keep the shock out of his voice when he said, "You went ahead and fell in love with her, didn't you?"  
  
Jack's head snapped up and he sent a petrified look in the blacksmith's general direction. "Is it that obvious?"  
  
Shaking his head, Will tried not to smile. "Well, I never thought I'd live to see the day when Jack Spa--"  
  
"CAPTAIN!"  
  
"Right, when CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow would give up a life of philandering cavorting for one woman."  
  
Jack took another swig of rum from the leather pouch and added, "Yeah, well neither did I. She annoys the hell out of me sometimes, but I just can't help it. I have to say, it's one hell of a feeling."  
  
The younger man nodded. He knew precisely what the captain was talking about. "Well, I can't say it's a convenient match, but it's considerably better than what the poor dear has to look forward to if she returns. As it happens, Natalie's betrothed is only marrying her for her father's money and prestige."  
  
Jack nodded and stared out at the Dauntless, which was fast approaching. "I had figured as much. Geoffrey Eaton owes quite a bit, and not just to me, but to other less desirable individuals as well. How in the world did you ever find out?"  
  
"The rat bastard had the nerve to be laughing about it below deck this evening. The manner in which he described Miss Swann was nothing short of sickening," he replied, his fingers digging into the banister with anger. Suddenly, Will glanced over at his friend and asked, "What exactly is Eaton in for?"  
  
Looking at Will with an expression conveying how obvious it all seemed to be, he replied, "Why that man has been backing smuggling rings for some time now, and is contracted to continue to do so for another five years. Unfortunately, he has pissed away his fortune and now he has a sea full of buccaneers after him. I fear I have a tad more patience than the lot of them, for they're looking for blood now."  
  
The blacksmith stood staring at Jack in disbelief of the tale. "Good Lord! No wonder why you . . . and she . . . Natalie must have known something of it to have run away!"  
  
"No," he said shaking his head, "Natalie couldn't tolerate the boy and she found herself engaged to him without being able to protest. She ran away because she didn't want to disappoint her family. Perceptive lass, if ye ask me."  
  
"Indeed," Will said, curtly nodding, "Poor thing. So, does she know that you care for her? Have you told her yet?"  
  
Inwardly wondering if the young man was completely daft, he shot him a look that removed any doubts of the answer to his question. "I should think so."  
  
"Well you HAVE landed yourself in a whole mess of trouble haven't you, Captain?" Will said with a smile, shaking his head at the impossibility of the situation they were in.  
  
"You don't 'ave to tell me that."  
  
* * * *  
  
Natalie moaned in agony. Her eyelids felt as though an anchor was perched atop each one, delighting in her failed attempts to drag them open, and her throat was dry and scratched from the sea salt that she had been swallowing on her quest.  
  
She heard a faraway voice calling her name, over and over again. "Natalie? Natalie, darling, will you please open your eyes? Natalie!"  
  
"F-f-ather?" she choked out past her parched vocal chords, trying her damnedest to pull her eyes open for him. After a few moments, she finally succeeded, and was met with the sight of over a hundred men hovering around her. And the Eatons, of course.  
  
Gingerly pulling her to her feet, Commodore Norrington held her steady, asking softly, "Are you alright, Miss Swann? How do you feel?"  
  
"Slightly dead," she replied with a small smile, "But, other than that, quite alright, thank you. If I may, Commodore, I would be much obliged if you would kindly remove the audience."  
  
James nodded and hollered, "Gentlemen, as you were. This ship does not steer itself, you know!" He heard Natalie murmur a quick thank you and smiled. She really was a delightful child.  
  
"Natalie!" said her father, opening his arms wide and smiling as tears streamed down his face. "Oh, how I've missed you, so!"  
  
Her eyes brimming with unshed tears, she hurried into her father's embrace. "I love you, Father."  
  
Weatherby Swann grasped her tighter to him, and replied, "And I you, my sweet. Never forget that."  
  
"Oh, darling, dearest, sweetheart, my muse, my heart, my soul!" cried Charles, hurrying over to her side to receive a share of her obvious affection. Surprisingly, all he was greeted with when she turned to face him was a sound slap across the face.  
  
"YOU! If you so much as BREATHE on me I will be forced to slap you again," she shouted, emphasizing each of her words with a sharp jab to the chest with her pointer finger.  
  
It took every ounce of her polite upbringing to not laugh as he burst into excessive crying and moaning, complaining about his cheek supposedly starting to bleed and his person suffering from a heart attack thanks to her incessant poking. Her merriment was cut short, though as her father's voice boomed over the chaos, sending everyone into silence.  
  
"Natalie Cecily Swann, what is the meaning of this?!"  
  
Turning back to face him, she threw her hand in the whining heap's general direction before starting. "Father, these," she paused to send each a scathing look before continuing, "Gentlemen, have been plotting against you from the very start. They were planning to have Charles, who thinks of me in the same matter which I think of him, marry me so they would then have access to your fortune."  
  
Geoffrey Eaton swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure under the now suspicious eyes of the commodore. This couldn't be it! He was going to die . . . on a ship, for Jude's sake!  
  
James eyed the two men carefully, not entirely sure of whom he should believe. The accusation was a rather serious one, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to believe that Natalie could conjure it up either. Before he could interject, the governor spoke.  
  
"Natalie, you will be silent THIS INSTANT! I don't know why you are doing this, but you will apologize to the Masters Eaton immediately!" he shouted, any hit of fatherly love now replaced with bitter disappointment and anger.  
  
She stared at him, unable to believe that this was happening. He was going to believe two incredibly shady strangers, who stood to gain everything, instead of his own daughter. "But--I"  
  
"No! Now I said apologize!" he shouted, causing her to jump with fear.  
  
Natalie straightened and gave a formal, but impersonal, curtsy to her father before facing the Eatons and doing the same. "I'm sorry," she said in a broken whisper. Clearing her throat, she elaborated. "I'm incredibly sorry that I ever left Jack Sparrow's ship, for it seems there was nothing here worth returning to. Good night."  
  
And with that, she walked away, her bare feet making a soft thud with each step she took on the glossy wood slats, disappearing into the hull and leaving a small mass of people completely speechless behind her.  
  
* * * * 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: If I owned this, I'd be in Aruba, not here in below zero-New York.  
  
Note: Thank you for all of your reviews! Terreis, your rhyming skills are quite dazzling and to the many reviewers who sent their sympathies to Natalie, she says thanks as well (Or at least I think she did . . . It was a bit hard to hear through the sobbing . . .). Hope you enjoy this!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 16)  
  
"Excuse me," Elizabeth said, rising up on her toes to tap one of the crewmen on the shoulder. When he turned around, her eyes widened and her breath escaped her lungs in an audible gasp. The behemoth snarled down at her from his perch, towering at least three feet above her, his capped teeth glinting in the dim light that emanated from the lanterns below deck and his foul breath threatening to knock her over! "I'm looking for Natalie . . ." she said softly, trying hard not to provoke his wrath.  
  
Immediately, the giant's features softened and a toothy grin crossed his features. "Sure, Miss, righ' this way, if ye would," he replied, offering his arm, which she accepted, shocked, and leading her down the corridor to the last door. "Here i'tis, Miss. Goodday!" Cheerily, he whistled as he walked away, leaving her in stunned silence.  
  
Captain Jack never ceased to amaze her.  
  
Shaking her head, she brought herself back to reality, standing beside the door to call for her sister. "Natalie? Natalie, it's me, Elizabeth. Please open up, dear." After no reply came, she sighed and shook her head. "Nattie, love, I'm sorry for everything. I need to speak with you."  
  
Again, all was still inside.  
  
"Natalie!" she exclaimed, raising a fist and lowering it with a thud. At her gesture, the door swung open and Elizabeth walked cautiously inside. Her eyes scanned the small cabin, which was slowly growing darker as the moonlight started to vanish, giving way to the slowly rising sun, but she didn't see the younger girl there.  
  
Seeing the door to the balcony opened, she hurried over and checked there, but to no avail. Natalie was nowhere to be found. "Oh, dear," Elizabeth said with a sigh, moving through the room and having a seat on the bed. Leaning her hands on either side of her, she felt something beneath her fingertips.  
  
Slowly, she brought the folded piece of paper into the sliver of light coming through the window. As her eyes followed the neatly written words, Elizabeth leapt to her feet in disbelief. "Oh, Jack!"  
  
* * * *  
  
James stood at the stern, looking out at the Dauntless' wake in the muted light and shook his head. Since Natalie Swann had stormed off almost a half hour before, followed by her fatigued father and the Eatons, he had been able to think of little else. Being the supreme law aboard the vessel, it was his duty to resolve the matter, but, at the moment, he would have traded places with any number of people to be rid of the task.  
  
The situation was a sticky one.  
  
First of all, the Eatons' reputation was at stake. Even if the accusations against them proved false, they could still be irrevocably harmed by them.  
  
A consequence that perturbed him far more than this was the disintegration of the relationship between Governor Swann and his daughter. Unless her charges were true, there would always be something amiss there.  
  
The breakdown of a bond between father and child he did not want to be responsible for.  
  
Running his hands over his face in frustration, he mumbled, "Why me."  
  
"I understand the feeling, Commodore."  
  
The softly spoken words stilled him, and he turned around to find Natalie approaching him, a small smile haunting her countenance. "Do you mind if I share the deck with you? I was getting a bit restless just sitting below and I couldn't sleep."  
  
"Please, Miss Swann," he replied with a polite nod and a smile, gesturing towards the vacant spot on the rail beside him.  
  
She moved to his side and stared out at the sea and sky, which seemed to melt together at the horizon in an ebony pool. The world of nature put her at ease. Even though it was ever changing and unpredictable, it was comforting to know that some things happened without man applying reason to it.  
  
Sending him a sidelong glance, she said, "You may call me Natalie, you know. You almost married my sister, so I believe we are past formalities." At his wide-eyed silence, she added, "Isn't that right . . . Commodore?"  
  
"Why . . . yes, of course . . . Natalie. And you may call me James," he replied after finding his tongue. Well this one certainly jumped straight to the point!  
  
Returning her gaze to the night before her, she asked, "Did you love Elizabeth, James?"  
  
This was insanity! She was just delving for the jugular this evening, nearly stunning him into a coma! He felt like calling her on her scandalous behavior, but his heart begged him to confide in someone . . . anyone.  
  
"Um . . . well, I suppose I did. It was all rather sudden, really. She was this very blunt little girl, very much like you, actually, but then she grew up," James mused, a faraway smile playing upon his ordinarily tight, straight lips. "She's stunning; any man would say the same."  
  
Turning around, she leaned her back against the banister and looked up at him curiously. "Ah, but it seems that you and I are speaking of two very different things. You are talking about idol worship. Love is so much more, James."  
  
Her eyes moving past him, to the western horizon where the moon was slowly sinking, she continued with a ghost of a smile. "That feeling of sweet agony whenever so much as a thought of that person springs to mind, that is love. Being able to see all of the wretched things about that person and loving them, not in spite of it all, but because of it, that is love. If you'll pardon the expression, it's one hell of a feeling," she added, grinning up at him.  
  
James smiled and raised an eyebrow. "I suppose it is. How did you become so well versed in the area?" When her eyes dropped to the wood planking beneath her feet, he knew he had his answer. "Oh, I see. How did you come to be on Mister Sparrow's ship, anyway?"  
  
"Do you swear on your soul to listen to this as a regular human being and not as the leader of the British fleet, for if you will not I won't waste my time, or yours," she replied, her eyes filled with the utmost seriousness.  
  
Nodding, he replied, "Agreed, Natalie. So, if you would, I'd be most obliged."  
  
The girl sighed and began her story . . . again.  
  
"I never did care for Charles, in fact I most despised him, and at his party he proposed to me. Before I could refuse, Elizabeth, Will, and my father already knew and were all so excited about it. I couldn't bear to tell them otherwise, so I slipped away from the crowd, picked up some belongings from home, and went to the wharf. If I bought passage, I would have been taken home, for certain, so I stowed away on a ship. The crew found me on board, but we were already in Tortuga by then. So the Captain, Mister Sparrow, promised to keep me on board and unharmed until he could return me to Port Royale."  
  
"But then, where to these accusations against the Eatons fit in?" he asked, interjecting in an attempt to make sense of all the things swimming through his head.  
  
Natalie nodded and continued, "Well, when they took me to Jack for the first time, he told me that he had gone ashore to collect on a debt owed by Geoffrey Eaton. Charles' over amorous tendencies, his father constantly pushing him towards me, my less than perfect social record, and my father's stature: it all makes perfect sense."  
  
Turning to face him, she looked up at him and said, "James, I know that it's impossible for you to believe me right now, but give me some time, and I'll get proof. I can feel it . . . deep down; I know that Geoffrey and Charles Eaton are hiding something."  
  
* * * *  
  
"So, Jack, what exactly do you plan on doing," asked Will. Pointing past the captain to the vessel charging onward in their wake, he added, "The Dauntless can't be more than twenty yards from here, so you had better decide quickly."  
  
"The men are preparing the Cara Mia to make a stand." Jack didn't meet his friend's eyes, knowing that he would be called daft, infirm, crazed, insane . . . and Lord only knew what else. He knew in his head that they wouldn't stand a chance, but his heart refused to let him surrender like that.  
  
Will's mouth dropped open in shock. "Are you mad?!"  
  
"Well, that's a new one . . ." he murmured, taking another swig from his lightening flask. So much for Will being predictable . . .  
  
"You can't do this, Jack!" he shouted, "You'll get the both of you killed! Is that what you want? Hum?"  
  
Frustrated and scared beyond reason, he spun about, grabbed him by the collar, and wagged his pointer finger in his friend's face. "Don't impugn my judgment, boy! And don't think for one . . ."  
  
"Jack!"  
  
Both men were silent immediately, turning their heads to find Elizabeth standing there, looking worried. The captain's eyes roved her form and settled upon the piece of paper she clutched in her left hand.  
  
Dropping hold of Will's shirt, he hurried over to her, looking into her eyes. "What would that be in your hand there, Miss Elizabeth?"  
  
Shaking her head, she turned over the note with a sigh. "Jack, it's Natalie."  
  
Quickly, he snatched it from her grasp and turned his back to her so he could read it. At the mere sight of her sister he had known she was gone, but her perfectly scrawled words only made the news harder to take:  
Dearest Jack,  
  
If you are reading this, you have probably figured out that I am  
no longer on board the Cara Mia. I couldn't let you do this, darling. I  
  
have come to care for this crew, and its captain, far too much to see you  
  
all killed. Do not worry about me; I have gone back to the Dauntless to  
  
try and avert the Commodore's attack. Remember, I will always love you,  
Jack. Don't do anything stupid.  
  
Love always,  
  
Natalie  
  
Jack swallowed his tears, jammed the note in his pocket, and ran to the helm. He shouted from the wheel for all to hear, "Gents, man the guns! We fight!"  
  
* * * *  
  
"So that's the whole story, Commodore," Natalie said with a sigh. "You aren't going to fire on the Cara Mia, are you? Jack did nothing wrong, sir. If anyone is to blame, it's me."  
  
With a half smile, he nodded goodbye and shouted to the crew below. "Come about, men! We sail for Port Royale!"  
  
* * * * 


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I've officially run out of ways to say this. Leave reviews with some new ones, if any come to mind, please.  
  
Note: Sorry about the odd spacing and the occasional word that makes no sense. "Word" is good, but apparently not that good. So, all hell done broke loose in this story. I still don't know how I'm going to get to the end, so only time will tell. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!  
  
P.S.: I leave for Italy (!!!!!) on February 4th and I'm coming back on the 14th , so don't think that I've left the story for dead and I'm just screwing with you guys. I have time off from school right after it, so I'll update like whoa when I come home. If you want to write me a little something to read on the plane ride you can send it to my screen name: SpideyWebbz43087@netscape.net . . . I heart you guys! Enjoy . . . again.  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 17)  
  
"Come about, men. We sail for Port Royale!"  
  
A raucous cheer went up from the deck as the crew scrambled about to their respective stations to do as the Commodore had commanded. A life on the sea was what they had all chosen, it was what they loved, but going home meant a dry bed and people who cared, an opportunity none of them cared to hesitate in experiencing.  
  
He moved to the stairs to return below, but a feather light touch on his forearm held him back. He looked over and found Natalie with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "Thank you so much, James. I shall never forget this."  
  
He simply nodded and watched after her as she brushed past him and down onto the main deck. She was something alright. Why any man would count himself lucky to be in her company.  
  
He furrowed his brow recalling the silent profession of her love for Jack Sparrow. How in God's name the pair of them had even lasted the week without killing one another, he hadn't the faintest idea. What was the majesty behind that damn pirate?  
  
For one, he was completely filthy. At first glance one would think that he preferred rolling about in the mud to sailing about in the waters of the Caribbean. Maybe that was it? He did have a ship . . . but James had an entire fleet, so that couldn't be it. The man was always foxed. Why one almost needed a translator to understand him through his endless slurring and spitting and he could barely see straight through the haze of his rum.  
  
Did women really find all of that attractive?  
  
"If that's the case, I suppose I'll be looking forward to a lifetime alone," he said with a sigh, starting down the stairs. But suddenly, a huge shout rose above the ship and James ducked as he heard the familiar sound of a cannonball whizzing past his head.  
  
Squeezing his eyes closed, he waited until he heard wood smash and a loud splash (*Terreis, you're rubbing off on me . . .) before cautiously rising to his feet. Looking behind him, he noted that the railing had merely been clipped by the hunk of iron and only some minor aesthetic damage was suffered. Whirling about, he saw the Cara Mia stretched out lengthwise in front of the turning Dauntless, preparing to fire some more.  
  
"He's absolutely mad."  
  
Shaking his head, he hollered, "Quickly, men! Turn the vessel around and let's make for home before they do any real damage." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gillette approaching in a panicky jog.  
  
"Sir, aren't we going to fire?" the man asked, periodically checking to his left to see if another cannonball was approaching with every intent to remove his head. After all of these years, he still hadn't gotten used to getting shot at. He'd been called a coward more times than he cared to count, but he chose to think of it as he was destined to be a lover, and not a fighter.  
  
The Commodore shook his head. "Not today, Gillette. Not today."  
  
* * * *  
  
Will and Elizabeth stood, paralyzed with fear and astonishment, as the first cannon let forth a hefty bang before sending the compact sphere of mayhem barreling towards the Dauntless.  
  
The seconds ticked by as everyone on deck waited to hear if it had connected. Usually, ships in battle were only a few yards apart, so unless the projectile was fired on the opposite side, a direct hit was practically guaranteed. But as it stood, the Cara Mia was simply too far away from her target to afford that kind of accuracy.  
  
Suddenly, the muffled sound of splintering wood echoed over the waves, sending a cheer through the men and Elizabeth over the edge. Breaking away from her husband she ran over to Jack and shouted in his face. "You pathetic, contemptuous beast!"  
  
"Sticks and stones, luv," he replied with a shrug, raising his hand as a signal to ready all of the cannons.  
  
Grabbing hold of his collar, she asked, her voice quivering with fury, "Do you love my sister, at all, Jack? Hum? Do you?" When he attempted to avoid her withering stare, she dropped his shirt and held onto him by the ears. He tried to wriggle free, but her words penetrated the fog and killed his ambition.  
  
"Your little stunt there could have killed her, Jack! Would you honestly be able to live with yourself if that were to happen?" She glared up at him, frustrated with his silence, but taking note of the hefty gulp that caused his Adam's apple to bob in his throat. "Good, I was beginning to think that you were missing a heart as well as a soul."  
  
Jack stood there, speechless, staring over her head and coaching himself to hold back his emotions. He felt like wringing her neck! He felt like begging for her help! None of it made any sense!  
  
He used to be able to sack whole villages, be with four women at once, and be a complete swine, all without batting an eyelash! But he'd gone soft. Jack just couldn't do it anymore.  
  
"Elizabeth!"  
  
The cry broke through his thoughts and his eyes flew to Will who was jumping up and down and motioning wildly to the lightening horizon. "They're leaving without us!" he yelped.  
  
Withdrawing the spyglass from his belt, he extended it out in the direction of the Dauntless, and sure enough, it was finishing turning around and was beginning to shrink into the distance. With a sigh, he shook his head murmuring, "Oh, Natalie. You didn't have to do this."  
  
"Jack! Will you do something! I don't want to stay here forever . . . with you!" Elizabeth said, shooting him a terrifying look. Will continued to shout, and then the crew began yelling and Jack lost his mind.  
  
"Oh, will you all just shut up!" he bellowed.  
  
Everyone went silent and turned to him for guidance.  
  
"You," he said, pointing to Elizabeth, "Lose the attitude. It isn't very becoming." Moving his finger along to Will, he raised an eyebrow and said, "You need to keep your knickers on, mate. We'll tail the Dauntless and drop you off in Port Royale along the way." Finally motioning to the crew, he hollered so they would hear. "And you boys should be doing something other than gawking at our guests on deck! Make ready the sails and prepare to turn about! We raise anchor at first light!"  
  
* * * *  
  
Natalie stood rooted to her spot on the main deck after the "attack", watching as the Cara Mia slipped below the horizon as they sailed away. She kept telling herself that she had done what was best and what she should have done, but after everything that had transpired with her father and the Eatons, she couldn't help thinking that she would have been better of staying with Jack. At least she would have been happy.  
  
From behind her, she heard someone clear his voice loudly and she whirled around to find her father standing there with the Eaton clan in tow. He stumbled over his words and avoided her gaze, saying, "Natalie, it is decided. Plans have been made and you will marry Charles." When she opened her mouth to protest, he silenced her. "There is nothing to discuss. My decision is final."  
  
Standing there, completely slack jawed with shock, she tried to absorb his words. Even after all she had told him about that pair of devils, he didn't even hesitate in arranging a marriage between them. He really did hate her.  
  
"Well, I'll leave you and Charles to get acquainted, then. Good day." And with a farewell that oozed cold formality, he walked away with Geoffrey Eaton following close behind him.  
  
Charles grinned at her like a besotted fool and moved to her side. She couldn't bear to watch this, so she turned her back to him and leaned over the railing instead. Casually slinging his arm over her shoulder, he said, "Isn't this wonderful, darling."  
  
"Shut up, Charles," Natalie said with a hopeless sigh, forcefully removing his hand from her skin. Apparently, it was going to be a very long lifetime. 


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: No explanation necessary.  
  
Note: Wow! You guys are so wrapped up it this! I'm so excited! I hear what you are saying, but since there are only so many times these poor characters can leap off of moving ships, "Mine words are the ones we'll be trusting". . . Here goes!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 18)  
  
Elizabeth pressed the heels of her hands against her temples in an effort to silence the legion if mutants that were drumming furiously on her brain, but to no avail. She had been trapped on this floating asylum for a little more than three days, but the crew's incessant hollering and shouting had already driven her to the brink of insanity and back again. She wanted to go home.  
  
With a frustrated sigh, she hurried through the dark hull, lined with drunken pirates, just passing the time . . . in the most boisterous and obnoxious ways known to man, and burst forth onto the main deck for some peace and quiet.  
  
"Da, duh, dum da, deedle . . . and really bad eggs . . ."  
  
"No such luck," she muttered, narrowing her eyes and looking over her shoulder to find Jack hanging over the wheel, looking semiconscious, at best. Turning on her heel, she walked over to him and said sharply, "Good evening, Captain."  
  
Rolling his kohl-rimmed eyes, he motioned for another sailor to take the helm and replied, "If you say so, Miss Turner" before retreating to the bow to contemplate his circumstances . . . again.  
  
She wasn't about to let him get away that easy, so she followed him up the creaking wooden steps to the railing where he stood, drowning himself in rum. She squinted against the dully lit fog that had immersed the vessel upon dusk's arrival and eyed his flask curiously. "Wait . . . isn't that Mister Gibbs' flask, Jack?"  
  
He winced at her words and took another gander at it before emptying the worn leather pouch of its contents. "So it is. You always were a perceptive lass."  
  
Resting her elbows on the polished wood, moist with the spray of the sea, she stared off into the darkening night and asked, "Whatever happened to him, anyway?" Elizabeth couldn't find anything wrong with her question until he responded with mere silence and refused to meet her eyes.  
  
Shaking his head, he dropped his gaze to the whitecaps lapping at the keel of the Cara Mia and replied, "He's dead." Jack heard her gasp and felt her touch his forearm, but he ignored it. He didn't like the emotions it dredged up in him and he hardly ever spoke of the incident to anyone, but she deserved to hear the truth.  
  
Raising his eyes to the sky, he held back the sorrow and elaborated on his admission. "We were in Curacao, I forget why, now, but we were there none the less. The men had just come off this huge raid with money to burn, but Gibbs refused to spend it, seein' as he'd been savin' up to send it to his boy back home, who was taking care of his mum."  
  
"I had no idea he was a husband . . . a father," Elizabeth said, her heart heavy at the news of his passing. She almost didn't want to hear how Jack's story ended, hoping for him to crack a grin and say that it was only in jest and that Gibbs was really home with the ones he loved. It would have been easier that way.  
  
"And a damn fine one at that, if you don't mind me saying so. Anyway, the joint we had been frequenting was held up by a bunch of amateurs with cutlasses and dreams of grandeur. They held him up and told him to hand over his purse. When he didn't, they shot him." Jack sighed sadly and trembled visibly as the guilt and horror plagued him once more. He hated this story. He really did.  
  
Elizabeth stood in silence as tears rolled down her cheeks, unable to describe the disgusting sinking feeling that had taken root in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't recall a more terrible story, showcasing human nature in all of its flawed glory, than that which Jack had finished regaling her with.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jack," she murmured softly, unable to even bring herself to look the man in the eyes again. She suddenly felt horrible about being so hard on him earlier. From the looks of things, he had enough he was killing himself for; more guilt from her was the last thing he needed.  
  
Plastering a smile on his face, he replied jovially, "Ah, hell, you didn't do anything wrong, didja, luv. Life goes on, 'ey?"  
  
"Jack," she began, "What exactly happened between you and Natalie?"  
  
The captain, who had been mid-guzzle from another glass bottle, coughed and sputtered as her words allowed rum to seep into all of his insides, burning like a wild fire on its way down. His eyes watering from the sensation, he choked out, "For Jude's sake! An' you call me uncouth!"  
  
Elizabeth eyed him with little amusement and added, "I know it's rather bold of me to ask, but I have to know. She's my sister."  
  
Turning to face her, he rested his hand on his lower back and said, "That she may be, but she's a grown woman as well. That gives her the right to keep her business private." Shaking his head, he turned away and sighed under his breath, "No wonder why she left."  
  
"Excuse me?!" Elizabeth said, quickly growing irate again. "What do you mean, Jack? You kidnapped her . . . remember?"  
  
He gave her a sidelong glance and twitched his mustache, replying "Come on, luv. Does it really sound like me to take a hostage?"  
  
Waving her arms wildly above her head, she cried, "You did it to me on the docks, are you completely daft?!"  
  
"No, no, no," Jack said, "I never took you with me. Thank heavens . . . I wouldn't have lasted the week. Natalie never wanted to marry Charles, an' you kept pushing them together. She didn't want to let you or the governor down, so she left."  
  
Elizabeth felt her heart come to a shuddering stop. So that was it. Not only had she caused problems with young Master Eaton, but she had also caused her own sister to feel trapped enough to flee her home for freedom.  
  
It hadn't been too long ago when she too had favored adventure to parties, and deep down she still detested life in a cage. The only thing keeping her sane and obedient was Will. Just the thought that she had hurt Natalie so made her sick.  
  
"I--I . . ."  
  
Jack immediately held up his hands. "No, Miss Turner. I'm not the one you should be explaining this to."  
  
She snapped her mouth shut, but sent him a genuine smile. "Thank you, Jack."  
  
He furrowed his brow and spun about briefly, half expecting that damn monkey of the late Barbossa to be hanging there, screeching like the devil he was, but there was nothing but the night. "Thanking me? Whatever for? I didn't do anything."  
  
"Thanks for taking care of Natalie," Elizabeth replied, brushing her hand across his cheek before turning to walk away. "Lord knows, the rest of us couldn't get through to her, but I'm glad somebody did. You made her happy, I just know it."  
  
With that, she moved back down to the main deck, but called behind her, "I'm rooting for you, Jack."  
  
* * * *  
  
Natalie sat in a detached silence, sitting on a coil of rope beside the low wall of the Dauntless' starboard side. Her head sat heavily in the palm of her right hand, for after almost four days of sleepless nights and stressful days, she had grown incredibly weary. She spent most of her time on deck, away from her father, her fiancée, her soon-to-be father-in-law, and the commodore, seeking solace the peaceful harmony of the sea and sky.  
  
In the distance, she could see the harbor lights of Port Royale, just tiny specks, growing a tiny bit bigger with each charging motion onward of the great vessel, and couldn't stop the painful tightening in her chest at the sight of it. This was home . . . but why didn't it feel that way anymore.  
  
* * * *  
  
See! That's why I didn't have them swim back to their respective ships, there's more to come . . . Stay tuned! 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: You tell me.  
  
Note: Dude! We broke 50 reviews! I heart you kids! Thank you to the observant reviewer who realized that I changed Eaton's name to Charles halfway through. No, it was not intentional; I'm just completely losing my mind. His name will continue to be Clark and I thank you for pointing it out and apologize for the confusion. This week I only have to go into school for two days to take some midterms, so I'll probably be updating like whoa. Stay tuned and here goes . . .  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 19)  
  
"Oh! Miss Swann! You've returned!"  
  
Natalie stepped into the foyer of the palace and sighed hopelessly as the woman's hysterical sobbing pierced the cool silence of the huge building. She had been sighing an awful lot lately. It had just been one of those weeks.  
  
Nodding politely as Chandler closed the front door behind her and bid her welcome, she removed her bonnet and shawl and braced herself for the oncoming attack.  
  
Noreen, the head housekeeper, came running at her, full speed, before finally collapsing at her feet in a blubbering heap. Wrapping her short, chubby arms in a vice-like grip around her ankles, she cried out, but her thick, Irish brogue and incessant weeping made her practically impossible to understand. "Oh! I was so worried about you, child!"  
  
Her face contorting in discomfort, she tried her hardest to wriggle free of the woman's clutches, but to no avail.  
  
"Noreen," Natalie said, gently patting the woman's heaving shoulders, "I only went to the market. I was gone fifteen minutes, at best." Another forlorn moan burst forth from her lips, and the girl shook her head. "Oh dear, you really must stop this."  
  
In disbelieving silence, she wondered why she had been jealous of Elizabeth . . . for all this.  
  
Finally, Chandler came over and answered her unspoken pleadings. Prying Noreen off of the floor, with nothing more than an understanding nod, he accompanied the distraught maid to the kitchens to calm her down. The straight-laced door man didn't speak much, but he more than made up for what he lacked with his impeccable timing.  
  
Natalie took one more look at the ornate decor of the vestibule before shaking her head and moving up the stairs. It had been almost two days since her return, and those two short days had been filled with encounters similar in nature to the one she had shared with Noreen earlier.  
  
Gentlemen had suddenly become shamelessly flirtatious with her, while the ladies all begged to hear stories about the dashing Captain Jack Sparrow, two ideas which disturbed her more than words could say. Whenever anyone approached her, she would simply feign weariness instead, retreating to the patio to stare out at the harbor for hours on end.  
  
But the newfound interest in all things Natalie, however unwanted the attention was, still didn't belong solely to her. Elizabeth and Will had gone missing at sea, and the entire free world felt it necessary to jump to the most horrific conclusions and such, dragging her father deeper into despair.  
  
Furrowing her brow, she quickly ducked inside her room. The door clicked closed and she leaned up against it with an exasperated sigh. "The two of them are probably off making babes galore on some beach, completely ignorant to the mess they are making here."  
  
The moment that she uttered the words, Natalie stopped and thought about them.  
  
She had done the very same.  
  
It was because she couldn't handle the life she had been given, a life that many would have gladly taken instead of their own, that the Commodore had to take time out to go and look for her, that her father wouldn't even look upon her, let alone speak with her, that Jack's life hung in the balance.  
  
Moving over to the enormous picture window on the far side of the room, Natalie peered out at the bustling town of Port Royale, bathed in the warm glow of the bright afternoon sun and enveloped in the cool Caribbean breeze.  
  
Everyone seemed so merry, she mused. They didn't need the intricate trappings of high society to see the beauty of life and be content with that, and in that moment, Natalie felt as though she would sell her soul for such freedom. Unconditional happiness had a lovely ring to it, after all.  
  
Suddenly, the door flew open and in stormed her father, his hands clasped behind his back and the usual look of smug indifference on his weathered face. "Well, what do you think?"  
  
Briskly, Weatherby withdrew a relatively small bundle, and, holding it in front of him, released the bottom, allowing thick, pink floral fabric to cascade to the floor.  
  
Natalie's eyes widened and her heart warmed as her eyes fell upon the gorgeous frock. This wasn't just any gift, she thought with a smile. It was a symbol of her father's love for her, and the fact that in spite of all that they had suffered, he still cared.  
  
"Oh, Father! It's lovely, really it is!" she sighed, approaching him. Extending her hand, Natalie ran her fingertips along the beautiful brocade fabric and added, "This means so much to me. Thank you."  
  
Stepping forward, she outstretched her arms, prepared to envelop him in a hug, but at the last moment, he pulled away, snatching the dress from her grasp and looking down at her with cold, conflicted eyes.  
  
"It's for Elizabeth . . . for her to wear to the engagement festivities. I'd like your opinion, if it isn't too much trouble." His voice dripped with disdain and she wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest if he set the air to freezing with his icy tone.  
  
Natalie could hardly believe her ears. Looking at him, her jaw hanging down past her knees and her green eyes as wide as saucers, she stuttered, "Are you serious? Father, she isn't even here! We don't know where she is . . . or if she plans on returning . . ."  
  
Immediately he lost his temper, flying to her side until he was mere inches from her face, wagging his pointer finger menacingly before her. "Don't you dare, young lady! It is no one else's fault but your own that she is gone right now! She went off in search of you, even though we said otherwise. Elizabeth thought of no one but you, and you refuse to think of anyone but yourself. You should be ashamed."  
  
Shooting her a final scathing glance, Weatherby said, "You had better start getting ready. I won't tolerate any of your shenanigans this evening. Good day." And with that, he made his exit, slamming the door, and leaving an inconsolable daughter in his wake.  
  
* * * *  
  
Evening fell slowly on Jamaica, painting the sky with a rainbow of colors as the Cara Mia dropped her anchor in a nearby cove to let off its precious cargo. "Well, 'ere it is. Port Royale, the happiest place on earth," Jack said, shaking his head sadly as he took another swig from the glass bottle in his trembling hand.  
  
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Elizabeth and Will standing there, getting ready to leave. "Jack, are you to go ashore?" he heard her say softly.  
  
It was a good question. It was one he was debating the answer to, as well.  
  
He wanted to go and get her more than he could express with mere words, hell, he probably needed to! Jack had become a complete madman without her. Natalie had only been with him for about a week, but her presence had changed him for a lifetime. He drank even more than he used to, which was followed by extraordinary amounts of swearing and yelling, and then sleepless nights and short-tempered days.  
  
The men had even given up talking to him. They just passed word to Will, the poster-child for the sacrificial lamb. Jack would chew him out, but their friendship allowed for it and no offense was ever taken. Lord knows what was to happen after they had put Port Royal to their rudder.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
"No," he said sharply. This wasn't about what he wanted, or what he even needed. It was about her. Natalie belonged here, and it was plain fact that Captain Jack Sparrow didn't.  
  
He heard her feet softly patter against the slats of the wooden deck as she moved to his side, and tried to avoid meeting her eyes. Elizabeth Swann had quite the knack for persuasion. A few words, some eyelash- batting, and he would be in a damn row boat, paddling ashore to do exactly what he knew he shouldn't be doing. He had to stay strong.  
  
"Jack."  
  
"Damned it all!" he shouted, "What do you want from me?!"  
  
* * * *  
  
Jack pulled back on the oars, in synch with William, and sneered in the darkness of the now fallen night. As the beach became closer and closer with each stroke, he began to mumble, incoherently at first, then a little louder.  
  
"Women!"  
  
* * * * 


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer:  
  
Mimi- I don't own it.  
  
Ragetti- Now that's what you'd call ironic  
  
Mimi- No it isn't . . .  
  
Note: I'm sorry for killing off Gibbs, but it was necessary for development . . . I liked him too, and it was sad to see him go. I'm beyond ecstatic that you really like all of this and it makes me want to go on forever! But, alas, the end is fast approaching and I have to get there one of these days, so here it goes!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 20) --bake me a cake, I've lasted 20 chapters . . . yay!  
  
After staring blindly into the mirror for almost an hour, hating herself for being wretched enough to garner her own father's loathing, Natalie left her quarters, slipping along the corridor, down the spiral staircase, and out the front door. She moved quietly along the deserted trails, not wanting to attract anyone's attention, and sat down on one of the wooden benches in the front gardens so she could clear her head.  
  
As it stood, in less than two hours hundreds of people would be crowded around her, asking questions about things she needed to forget, and she would, officially, be betrothed to a liar and a cheat.  
  
If he had asked her to marry anyone else on earth, she wouldn't have been happy, but she would have done so without question. But Geoffrey and his half-wit of a son weren't to be underestimated. They stood to gain a fortune that they did not deserve, and she was the only person left to stand between those scalawags and her vulnerable father.  
  
Even though he had lost sight of his affections for her, Natalie still loved him. Weatherby Swann could hate her for eternity, but she refused to allow any harm to come to him.  
  
How she planned on helping him, exactly, was still a mystery, unfortunately.  
  
With a hopeless sigh, her eyes drifted shut and her trembling hands drifted over her face with frustration. "When is this going to get any easier!?" she moaned, wishing that she could have had a nice, normal existence instead of the melodrama her life had suddenly become.  
  
"When I find out I'll let you know."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Okay now, luv," Jack said, nervously coming to a stop at the garden gate, "I have kept up my end of the bargain. You are here, and safe, so give my regards to the good townsfolk and I'll be on me way."  
  
Elizabeth and Will eyed him strangely as he stood in front of their home, tapping his boot against the cobbles and whistling, as if he was waiting to be dismissed.  
  
She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly a maid hurried over to her side, whispering excitedly and giving her a hug. Her eyes widened and she asked, "Won't you come in, Jack, dear?" Motioning to the front door, she smiled to herself. It was all too perfect!  
  
His eyes moved from one friend to the other, and back to the floor, before finally ending up square above their heads on the building behind them. Will had apparently done quite well for himself as a blacksmith, if their home was any indication.  
  
"You know, I really shouldn't. I still have problems leaving my crew alone with the ship . . . the whole multiple-marooning incident left its fair share of scars, I fear. So, I'd love to, darling, but it just isn't possible."  
  
Will shook his head and smiled, "What would you say to a drink then?"  
  
* * * *  
  
From behind her perspiring palms, her eyes flew open at the sound of the familiar man's voice. Why, oh why, couldn't she have had her nervous breakdown away from the eyes of others!  
  
Quickly, she leapt to her feet, straightening the folds in her deep burgundy skirt and clasping her hands in front of her before offering a smile to welcome the hidden guest.  
  
From the shade of the palms, Commodore Norrington stepped out onto the moonlit path and greeted her with a polite nod and a conservative grin. "I think the two of us have quite the knack for finishing one another's private musings, hum?" he joked, "I apologize for interrupting."  
  
Natalie beamed up at him and replied, "Don't be silly, James. Actually, I would be very much obliged if you would accompany me back to the palace."  
  
"I would be delighted, Natalie," James said, presenting her with his arm, which she accepted. Together, they walked along the packed dirt and cobbles towards the great, illuminated home of the governor, which grew closer with each step.  
  
He noted her contemplative silence and inquired as to the reason. "Are you alright? You seem a bit troubled this evening." Glancing over at her, James watched her shake her head as her eyes averted his, and he added, "It's Clark Eaton again, isn't it?"  
  
It was obvious that he had struck gold with his deduction, and it wasn't much of a surprise, considering tonight's soirée was in honor of her recent engagement. With a heavy hearted sigh, Natalie confided in him.  
  
"I suppose I would rather marry a dead carp than that man," she said, her voice full of conviction, "Clark is trying to get to my father, James, I just know it."  
  
Looking up to the star-filled sky, she blinked back tears and admitted the most painful part of the entire ordeal. "But he refuses to see it. Every day, I have to hear about how much of a disappointment I am and how Elizabeth would never do this to him, and I just take it. It kills me, but I know I'm right."  
  
James couldn't believe his ears. He had been forced to tolerate the poor governor when both she, and her sister, had gone missing, and never before had he seen a man more besotted with his daughters. This whole thing was tearing the Swann family apart, tearing her apart, and he refused to allow it.  
  
His own mother had died while birthing his little sister, Lissie, and his father had been a devoted servant to the king's navy until his death, leaving James with little more than a generous inheritance and his instincts to raise her. In later years, the pair of them had grown apart. Hell, he didn't have a clue as to where she even was or if she was still among the living!  
  
No, it wouldn't be right to sit back and allow this unfortunate, but manageable, situation to destroy her family.  
  
"Natalie, you need to know that he still loves you. He's only a bit cross. Once Elizabeth returns and everything is settled, you'll see," James offered, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.  
  
She leaned her head against his shoulder for a moment and smiled. "I hope you are right, James. He won't speak to me unless I marry Clark."  
  
The feeling of her seeking solace from him sent the cogs in his head to spinning. Raising an eyebrow, he put forth a suggestion that could possibly end the needless torment of many.  
  
"Well, are you certain that you may ONLY marry Clark Eaton?"  
  
* * * *  
  
Being the highly predictable animal he was, the mere mention of his very favorite poison of choice was enough to lure him inside the home of the Turners for some coercing.  
  
Upon entrance, they gave him a brief tour of their modest abode to take his mind off of the drink he had been promised though, because, in Elizabeth's opinion, he was drunk enough.  
  
Finally, in the finely decorated sitting room they voiced what they had been pondering for hours. "Jack," Elizabeth began, sitting demurely in her wingback chair by the fire, "Natalie is engaged to Clark Eaton and tonight there is going to be a party in their honor."  
  
He straightened in his own chair, eyeing the couple suspiciously with a sidelong glance. "And . . . is that all?"  
  
"No. We think that you should go."  
  
Both the pirate captain and the blacksmith snapped their heads in her direction, looks of complete disbelief slapped clearly across their faces. In unison they shouted:  
  
"I do?!"  
  
"You do?!"  
  
William turned to his wife and choked out, "You can't be serious, darling?" Motioning to the man covered in dirt, hair, and alcohol who was currently looking beyond ridiculous against a backdrop of understated beauty and majesty, and added, "I mean, no offense to you, my friend, but there is no way you can pass for a gentleman without being recognized."  
  
"As he is now, I'd have to agree, but . . ."  
  
* * * * 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Screw a bushel of apples! If I owned this, I'd be spending three days on a beach drinking rum . . . with Johnny Depp . . . and not here in the snow.  
  
Note: Thanks for your reviews and death threats . . . I'll try to get this chapter up tonight (1/20/04), but if I can't, please don't kill me . . . that would leave me in a hole and you without a conclusion : ) I'm so glad that you aren't a bunch of Norrington haters because it makes this all so much more fun! Well here goes . . . enjoy!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 21)  
  
Natalie wrinkled her brow at his vague question, replying, "I don't know. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well," he began, wanting to phrase it all correctly so it didn't sound as outlandish as he knew it was. "You and I are quite civil with one another. I enjoy your company immensely, and I hope you feel the same." Anxiety caused his voice to speed up slightly.  
  
He was never going to get used to proposing marriage to unwilling women.  
  
Continuing on, he said, "Clark Eaton can't marry you if you are already engaged, correct?" James didn't even await a response, and with a shrug he asked, "So why not marry me instead?"  
  
He had half expected her to jump off a cliff, as her sister had done, but all she did was smile up at him, her brilliant eyes filled with quiet understanding. Pressing his hand within hers, she replied, "Oh, James, I appreciate this more than you will ever know, but. . . "  
  
Crushing set downs: another thing to add to the list of things he had to build up a tolerance for . . .  
  
"I can't let you do this," Natalie finally said, a ghost of a smile illuminating her features in the pale light of the moon.  
  
He stumbled over his words for a moment, unable to believe the incredible woman standing before him. "Natalie, the beauty of all this is that *I* get to decide whether or not I want to sacrifice myself on the matrimonial alter. Nothing would make me happier than to do this for you."  
  
Shaking her head, she raised her eyes to meet his and put her hands on either side of his face to make certain he was listening. "James, you are one of the greatest men I will ever know, but I could never love you the way a wife should love a husband. You deserve every ounce of happiness that life has to offer you, and I won't let you short yourself on my behalf."  
  
"You are unbelievable, do you know that?" he said, acquiescing to her wishes, but still unable to comprehend how selfless she was being. "At least let us pretend then. I can't bear being of no service at all. The public works fiend in me can't ignore suffering."  
  
Natalie grinned, stepping back a bit to look at him. James Norrington was a very fine man, indeed, and this was only further proof of that. "I will accept your offer then, but only until I find the proof I need to get the Eatons out of our lives," she replied.  
  
Linking her arm in his, she mockingly referred to him as "her-faux- husband-to-be" as they continued along the path to the palace, ready to fool the world with their brilliant plan.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Well, I'm afraid that's all the time I can afford to dawdle away this evening, my friends," Jack said, rising up out of the chair and tipping his hat as a farewell gesture. He could see, very clearly, the ideas streaming through Elizabeth's head, and, at the moment, he could think of nothing that scared him more.  
  
Will flew from his chair to his side, grabbing hold of his arm and whispering harshly in his ear, "Good Lord, Jack, just listen to her! She may be able to help you get Natalie back!"  
  
His countenance reflecting his skepticism, Jack crossed his arms over his chest and awaited the fair lady's brilliant plan. "Well then, what is it?"  
  
"Will could lend you some evening attire, we would clean you up a bit, and you can waltz right up to her, in plain sight of all!" Moving closer to him, she toyed with a thick clump of his matted hair and added, "Once these are gone . . ."  
  
Those four words nearly stopped his heart, stone cold. Bounding away from her he shouted, "Are you DAFT, woman! These 'ere dreads took me the better time of my life to grow, an you want to rip 'em out like dandelions!"  
  
Planting her hands firmly on her hips, she glared at him and asked, "Well, do you love Natalie or not?"  
  
"Listen, you mad woman, I don't have to answer to you, or anyone else, for that matter, about my feelings for her, okay?!" he shouted. With a hopeless sigh he added, "Anyway, I didn't come here to get Natalie back. I'll just sneak a peek to see if she is alright, and be on my merry way. She belongs here, not with a pirate crew on the open seas."  
  
Elizabeth lowered her voice, and raised her eyes to his. "Who are you to be making that decision for her, Jack?"  
  
"I'm the man who would do anything for her, Miss Turner. I have to let her go, even if it means sacrificing my own happiness for hers," he replied. Shaking his head, he turned to leave.  
  
Will opened his mouth, just as the captain opened the front door to leave, and called, "Just don't get yourself caught, my friend."  
  
Tossing a grin and a nonchalant shrug over his shoulder, he answered softly, in the usual manner . . .  
  
"You're forgetting one thing, mate: I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"  
  
* * * *  
  
"Here she comes, lad," Geoffrey whispered, "Work your magic!" And with that, he pushed his son out of the shadows of the doorway and into plain sight of his fiancée, leaving him to tie up any loose ends before the big announcement was made.  
  
All he could do was pray that Clark didn't ruin everything in the last few moments, and go off to do his part in swaying the governor.  
  
Natalie was still quite far off in the distance as he stood there waiting, so he made a few last minute adjustments to his appearance, straightening his posture and adopting a blinding grin to make him damn near irresistible to the girl.  
  
Of course, he hadn't counted on the Commodore being out strolling with her.  
  
Viewing this as a minor setback, he approached them instead, calling, "Why good evening, my dear. Commodore."  
  
James nodded politely, but the two of them just brushed past him, arm in arm, calling an "If you'd excuse us" back to him. This was going to be a lot of fun . . . 


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: If I had all the money from PoTC's success, my friend, Crissy, and myself would become fluent in French and move to the Riviera where we would pose as locals, baby-sit Johhny's kids, and make him fall madly in love us. Of course, I'd have him on weekends and for any major premiers, lol.  
  
Note: Thanks for the reviews! I went to bed with 65 and I woke up with 77! This is so awesome! DayDreamBeliever14 . . . I'M TELLIN' THE STOREEEY . . . you will understand soon enough. I feel like some prophetic being . . . this is too cool, lol. Enjoy!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 22)  
  
"Cut my hair," Jack muttered angrily under his breath, shaking his head as he slipped silently through the shadows of the deserted market place and made his way to the Governor's mansion, his near brush with cleanliness still fresh in his mind.  
  
If he'd ever had the inclination to strike a woman, it would, most definitely, have been Elizabeth Turner the instant she suggested such an idiotic idea. Considering all the times that she had slapped him, he couldn't say it would have been unwarranted.  
  
The woman was completely vexing, he thought to himself, quickly ducking behind a nearby carriage to avoid being noticed by some townsfolk that were coming along. If she had questioned his affection for Natalie one more time, he would have gone absolutely out of his head! Who the hell did she think she was, anyway?  
  
Suddenly, he was yanked from his thoughts as the carriage pulled away, leaving him standing, completely defenseless, beneath the streetlight just as two women, chattering away, passed in front of him. Nodding as they merely bid him a good evening, he sighed with relief, thanking his lucky stars that the female species was completely obsessed with talking.  
  
Waiting for a few moments until their hushed voices were no longer audible, Jack crept alongside the building behind him and peeked around the corner to make sure all was really clear this time. His eyes widened as they fell upon the luminescent house on the hill ahead with scores of people roving about in front of it.  
  
This was going to be quite the challenge.  
  
Retreating behind the cover of the wall again, he took a deep controlling breath and sent a silent prayer skyward to keep him from the gallows. Practicing his relaxed-and-natural look, he made sure that he looked as put together as was humanly possible . . . for him . . . , straightening the worn leather hat that sat atop his head and using a bit of his spit to twist the ends of his mustache into an upward curl before re- emerging into the night.  
  
Jack walked at a brisk pace, but only fast enough to look like a man with a mission and not a fugitive, running for his life. Pushing his way through the crowd, he tossed out nonchalant grins and greetings as he went:  
  
"Why hello there . . . So good to see you . . . Excuse me . . . Pardon me, Madame . . . Great hat . . . I know . . . Good evening to you as well . . .," he called, hurriedly moving to the gates, only to be met by a couple of gentlemen who he'd long since forgotten . . . and had enjoyed doing so.  
  
Mullroy looked up briefly, calling "NEXT!" before letting out a slow yawn. He had been standing outside in the hot, humid night for hours now, and he wanted very much to go home and catch some sleep. Actually, he thought, removing his tri-cornered cap for a few moments to dab off some of the perspiration that had since accumulated, having a post inside the Governor's mansion instead of on the lawn would have even sufficed.  
  
Glancing over at his partner, Murtogg, he furrowed his brow. The two of them had always been separated from the lines of British troops, now that he thought about it. Not once had they been assigned to something really important . . . usually, it was only lookout duty.  
  
Just once, Mullroy mused, he wanted to do something heroic and daring for the Crown. He wanted to be more than a bloody glorified doorman!  
  
"Next!" he barked, still waiting to receive the vellum summons of the following guest. With an exasperated sigh, he tapped his shoe against the cobble stone walk and raised his eyes to the mob standing before him. "I 'aven't got all evenin', people, so 'ave your invitations ready!"  
  
Recognizing the two bumbling idiots who had foiled his first attempts to commandeer the Interceptor all those years ago, Jack didn't stay put to see what they would do next.  
  
Quickly, he slipped back into the jumbled horde of testy civilians and moved, covertly, to the more sparsely populated fringes, waiting for a moment before making a run for the palace walls. With a low whistle, he gazed upon the extremely high, moss-covered stone barrier with nervous anticipation.  
  
"Well, Jack; let's see if you've still got it."  
  
Slowly, he scaled the fence, digging his boot-clad toes into the foliage and holding on to the edges of the rough stone with a white knuckle grip. Oh, the things he did for love.  
  
Soon enough, he reached the top and was then faced with the question of how to scramble back down to the other side. Climbing down backwards was out of the question and to jump would mean certain death, or one hell of an injury, so his eyes searched the night for another way to the ground. Suddenly, a grin crossed his lips.  
  
Not two feet from the wall was a big, strong tree, almost beckoning him with an outstretched branch sitting right in front of him. Lifting his eyes to the heavens, he leapt towards it, finally grabbing hold in the last couple of seconds he was airborne.  
  
"Oh," he grunted, rocking back and forth, trying to swing his legs over the limb, "To be a teenager again!" Jack's grip starting to loosen, he continued to dangle until his fingers lost hold and he dropped.  
  
His heart in his throat, he stifled the yell that threatened to burst forth from his lips any moment, and flailed about as he fell, hoping, against all hope, to catch onto something that would keep him suspended. Unfortunately, his luck ran out.  
  
* * * *  
  
Natalie walked into the ball room a new person that evening. The hundreds of people swirling before her eyes, the cacophony created by all of those whispers, and even the presence of the abominable Eatons didn't seem to faze her.  
  
With an ally by her side, it didn't seem so overwhelming anymore.  
  
She glanced at James from the corner of her eye and watched as his wandered about the bright, crowded room. "It's incredible isn't it?" she asked with a quiet smile.  
  
He raised an eyebrow, surprised that she had noticed his astonishment, but replied, "Definitely. I've commanded thousands of troops, but this is so much . . . more." Looking over at her he grinned, unable to comprehend what he himself had just said, and asked, "I don't suppose that made any sense did it?"  
  
"No," Natalie smiled, "I know what you're saying. I think it's the different colors. With all of the movement it feels more like symptoms of typhoid than a party, I fear."  
  
James chuckled softly at her words, but not for long. From his post, he noticed Clark Eaton conferring with his father, and returned his gaze to hers. "Natalie, don't look now, but I believe your fiancée is getting a bit jealous," he said with a smile, "He's getting quite adamant with his father there."  
  
Her eyes widened and sparkled with glee. "This is entirely too much fun, James. Let's make the whole world jealous. May I have this dance?" she asked, curtsying low while trying, in vain, to suppress her ear-to-ear grin.  
  
"Why, Natalie, I'd be delighted." Holding out his arms, she stepped into his embrace, placing one hand upon his shoulder and the other in his. With his right hand resting at her waist, they spun off onto the dance floor, enjoying every minute of their time together.  
  
* * * *  
  
Geoffrey Eaton nearly choked on his brandy as he watched Natalie Swann getting closer to the Commodore, with his mindless dolt of a son nowhere to be found. He had practically handed Clark a bride and the boy couldn't even keep her under his thumb for ten minutes? Did he have to do everything?  
  
Suddenly, his pride and joy made his entrance from the door leading in from the gardens and came barreling over to him, words spilling past his lips like a babbling brook. A babbling brook that he would enjoy stopping up forever.  
  
"Clark!" he said in a harsh whisper, "Get a hold of your self, man! Now tell me, SLOWLY and CALMLY, why your betrothed is over there cavorting with another man? Can you do absolutely nothing correctly?"  
  
Taking a deep breath, Clark began to recount the evening's earlier events. "I went out, just as you bid me to, and I was charming, as always, but her and the Commodore . . . they just ignored me. Walked right by me, they did, arm in arm." Narrowing his eyes, he muttered, "I don't like it, Father. I don't like it one bit."  
  
"You really are insufferable," Geoffrey said hopelessly. "I'll fix this, somehow . . . I'll go to the governor, and we'll make the announcement early . . . before you ruin anything else." Massaging his temples, he sighed and shook his head, motioning for his son to leave him alone. "Oh! What did I ever do to deserve this?" 


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Some SAT review for you kids-  
  
Mimi : PoTC script, characters, etc :: Michael Jackson : Mental health  
  
Note: Thanks for the reviews! I'm sorry I left you hanging with Jack (no pun intended, lol) but I watched the movie 4 times the other day in French, Spanish, English, and with commentary from the Commodore so I was a bit sick of it. *Gasp* Yes, it is possible... so here we are...Go Patriots!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 23)  
  
With a dull thud, Jack landed face down on a rickety, old arbor, his leathery skin suffering from the abrasive texture of the splintering wood while his wildly pounding heart came to its senses and realized that he wasn't dead. In complete and utter agony, he almost let out a groan, but stifled it as the circumstances of his situation came flooding back to mind.  
  
He laid there in complete silence, almost afraid to breathe as he made sure that there was no one approaching who could have possibly seen or heard the incident, thus giving away his presence. His kohl rimmed eyes scanned the darkness quietly, but he was relieved to discover that no one had noticed him.  
  
Slowly, he dragged his legs over the side of the ivy-covered trellis and pulled himself into a seated position. Looking down at the ground that was still a good six feet from where his boots were dangling, Jack sighed and shook his head. "Well," he whispered to himself, "At least I didn't hit the floor last time."  
  
He then inched closer and closer to the edge of the wooden frame, his insides jittering as he felt the entire structure lean under the weight of his body. Squeezing his eyes tight, he didn't want to wait for the rotted piece to come crashing to the ground, so he just dropped off.  
  
After a few moments, Jack's eyes flew open, just in time to see him land on his bottom with a bone-jarring plop. "Sweet Jesus," he muttered painfully, stumbling to his feet, rubbing his rear end as he moved through the brush and towards the palace.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Weatherby!" Geoffrey called, his arms opened and a huge smile illuminating his features as he approached the finely outfitted man nursing a brandy. Patting him on the back, he motioned to the wide array of sights and smells in the room and said boisterously, "This is a magnificent affair, my good man! It may very well be the talk of the Season."  
  
Taking a sip from the snifter he held in his trembling hand, he simply nodded and smiled. He had no doubt that the party was everything that Geoffrey Eaton had mentioned, and more, but his mind had been elsewhere for most of the evening.  
  
He was giving away his little girl, and the fact that he wasn't even on speaking terms with said little girl only made the night harder.  
  
He loved her, of that he was certain, but the way she had been acting as of late was simply horrendous! Why, that evening aboard the Dauntless, when she had insulted the Eaton family, he couldn't remember a time when he had been more embarrassed, or more ashamed of her, in all of his days.  
  
Marriage was a fact of life. Natalie would understand. One day.  
  
"What are your thoughts, Governor? Governor!?"  
  
Geoffrey Eaton's voice pulled him from his thoughts, and in response he just smiled and nodded, murmuring a quick "Of course, Geoffrey" before turning and leaving. He needed another drink.  
  
A slow grin slinked across Geoffrey's face as he watched the man down the remaining contents of his glass before quickly snatching another off of a passing tray. With the confirmation of the mildly intoxicated Governor, he then went off to find the happy couple so he could salvage what was left of their profitable union.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Confound it all!" Jack said in a hushed whisper, staring up at the palace's wall, once again, covered in foliage and whose top was an incredibly large distance from the ground. He couldn't just waltz through the door and sit down. The wide-open windows at the very top of the wall were his only chance.  
  
Looking both ways for any stray party-goers who could potentially thwart his plan, he ran from behind a cluster of nicely manicured shrubs to the base of the building. His eyes roving from the bottom on up, he shook his head in disbelief and muttered:  
  
"I really need to start working out."  
  
* * * *  
  
This is so short. It's not even two pages on Word, but it's set up for the climax, where all hell will break loose. I think I'm going to save that part for after my trip so I can get it out all at once. I'd hate to leave you hanging for two weeks at some really tense part, so that's that. Enjoy! 


	24. No longer a note, but Chapter 24!

Disclaimer: Compliments of Kizume Bass:  
  
*Michael Eisner stood menacingly over GooseLives and sneered. "So, you expect to leave me standing on some beach with naught but a name and your word it's the one I need, and watch you sail away with my story?"  
  
"Absolutely not!" She retorted, "I expect to leave you on standing on some beach, with no name at all, watching me sail away with my story and I'll shout the name back to you. Savvy?"*  
  
Note: Thank you for your awesome reviews, endings, and questions! Italy was bleating amazing and I did have a safe, but very long, flight there and back. While I almost went stir crazy halfway over the Atlantic Ocean, it gave me plenty of time to come up with the following, so enjoy!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 24...I think...It's been a while...)  
  
Muttering a string of expletives that would have caused even the most foul-mouthed pirate to cringe, Jack scaled the wall and hoisted himself up into the crook of the sill of the open window. Under the cover of the swaying palm foliage, his dark eyes adjusted to the scene before him, alive and bustling with excitement.  
  
Scanning the crowd, he saw hundreds of people milling about, but none had the face his heart so longed to see. If he had been in his right mind, the bird's eye view would have been perfect for watching this comedy play out.  
  
The governor stood, slumped dejectedly at the base of the Grand Staircase, looking for all the world as though he had already polished off a few brandy decanters and was on the hunt for another to numb the pain of fatherhood.  
  
Geoffrey Eaton also looked a bit overtaxed, apparently trying to ignore the fact that he had a son by doing what he was best at: slinking about in the shadows, like the devil he was. And, as was usual, the younger Eaton was looking positively beside himself, but what was it this time?  
  
Following the boy's line of sight, Jack's eyes fell upon her.  
  
The mere sight of Natalie's beautiful face, flushed a rosy pink from the exertion and alight with laughter as she gracefully twirled about on the polished marble floor, set his foolish heart to sputtering and nearly sent him plummeting from his perch.  
  
Her incredibly feminine form was sheathed in a frock of deep wine- colored jacquard, trimmed in cream lace and pale green ribbon, which he knew would only intensify the brilliant hue of her eyes. Natalie's deep auburn hair was pulled back in a loose chignon, but just like her, the glossy tresses refused to be tamed, and escaped down her back, like rivulets of crystalline water, every time she moved.  
  
Even from afar, Natalie was had to be the loveliest creature his eyes had ever beheld, so much so that a part of him was thankful that he couldn't see her up close. His heart would have probably stopped cold dead in its place before dropping like a rock into the pit of his stomach. Still, that sounded like one hell of a way to die.  
  
The prospect of death was suddenly wiped from his mind as a crippling fit of jealousy set in.  
  
Anything, including visits from his great Aunt Beatrice, who used to enjoy pinching his face until it bled, and being drawn and quartered by the Fleet, had to be better than watching the woman of his dreams give the gift of her precious smile to someone other than himself.  
  
Squinting in their general direction, Jack's eyes remained unflinching on the couple as they twirled about the ball room, but, alas, the vast distance between them and the fact that the blighter she held in her arms was facing in the opposite direction, afforded him a very poor view, indeed.  
  
As if to stop the torture, some higher being intervened a few moments later and the dancers rotated, leaving Natalie's back to face him. His eyes soon fell upon the one man who could, and would be very much obliged, to efficiently end his life without batting an eyelash: Commodore James Norrington.  
  
Jack damn near succumbed to the vapors at the sight of the ordinarily uptight, law-abiding, pinnacle of perfection, giggling like a besotted school boy as he gracefully glided over the floor with Natalie. If only the boys who ran the gallows could see this...  
  
Part of him felt like laughing at the picture unfolding before his eyes, while another part wanted to ring the military man's neck, and still a very minute percentage of him, which lied outside the former realms, remained frozen with stupefied shock.  
  
But before his brain could even register the trillions of conflicting thoughts that were running through his head, the soft, high- pitched clink of metal against a champagne flute ascended into the warm, moist air of the Caribbean night that had invaded the lofty room. An eerie silence befell the throng of people who crowded the floor as Geoffrey Eaton climbed up onto the orchestral platform at the base of the stairs and spoke his will.  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began, "In this ever changing world, it is comforting to know that some things will stay forever constant; the greatest of all these things is undying love and affection.  
  
"We are here tonight to honor two young souls, who were lucky enough to find such love right here in Port Royale, and are ready to share a lifetime together. Please help me in congratulating the beautiful Miss Natalie Swann and my boy, Master Clark Eaton!"  
  
Natalie turned her wide, pleading eyes up to the Commodore, full of uncertainty as the smiling faces of complete strangers surrounded her, pushing her through to the front to meet her betrothed at the dais. That subversive twit had made the announcement early! He had ruined everything!  
  
It was all James could do to just stand there, fighting the urge to drop dead. He knew what he had to do, and he had no intention of going back on his word, but the sudden nature of it all had him quaking in his impeccably polished boots. He was, after all, going to publicly end his life as a bachelor. Very publicly...  
  
Raising his eyes above the rather large wigs of the men and women in front of him, his gaze settled on her, looking more like a prisoner waiting for death at the gallows than a woman waiting for her fiancé at a party. Furrowing his brow and taking a deep breath, he set her in his sights.  
  
Looking out at the enormous mass of humanity that swayed ominously before her eyes, Natalie couldn't recall ever feeling the need to swoon before. In fact, she prided herself on her strong personal constitution, but this was simply too much for any one person to contend with.  
  
"Pardon me!" came a shout from the bowels of the crowd, "I cannot allow this to continue!" The crowd assembled let out an audible gasp, in unison that she, given any other circumstances, would have marveled at, and turned to see who had called forth from their midst.  
  
Natalie had a good idea of who it was, and a secretive smile crossed her lips as Commodore James Norrington emerged from the sea of people with the deftness of Moses and a spark of fire in his usually calm and disconnected demeanor.  
  
Pushing some bystanders aside, he stepped up onto the carpeted stage to perform his little act for the wealthy of Jamaica. Stretching across a dejected Clark, he held his arm out to Natalie and pulled her close to his side.  
  
"Master Eaton," he shouted, making sure he was loud enough for the kitchen staff to hear, "I'm afraid that it would be impossible for Miss Swann to even entertain the notion of wedded bliss with your son, for she had already agreed to marry me."  
  
Immediately, the curious whisperings of the group exploded into cries of surprise, and nothing short of chaos ensued. Clark Eaton keeled over at the news, while his father erupted in a fit of rage. "Why you...you trollop! You were promised to my son!" Geoffrey cried, eventually working himself into such a tizzy that he could do nothing but stutter in her presence. Deciding that he would get nowhere fast with his insolent ex- daughter-in-law-to-be, he bellowed, "Weatherby!"  
  
With the haze of the alcohol wearing thin, Weatherby Swann was confronted with a massive headache, rivaling any other known to man, and a screaming mob led by an absolutely livid Geoffrey Eaton.  
  
"Will you tell that daughter of yours that she is to marry my son, once and for all!?" the man hollered, his face turning a deep red with frustration and anger, "It simply isn't fair! The Commodore proposed after Clark did, which means she belongs to him!"  
  
The people huddled around the two men, waiting in nervous anticipation to hear the governor's rebuttal.  
  
Raising his eyebrows until they vanished beneath his askew wig and squinting to bring the older man into focus, Weatherby murmured, "What's going on?"  
  
From the throng of individuals that had surrounded him, he watched as his daughter, Natalie, emerged with the Commodore in tow. Her eyes trained downward, she said softly, "Father, James has asked for my hand in marriage, and I have consented. Since you had requested that I find a husband, I assume that the choice of the man I will spend a lifetime with is up to my discretion."  
  
Slowly but surely, his daughter's emotional utterance penetrated the thinning haze of brandy around his brain and he replied, "The Commodore is a fine man, I have no objections." Turning to Geoffrey Eaton, who was doing a smashingly accurate impression of a dead carp at the moment, he added, "My apologies, old friend, but it is my daughter's decision."  
  
Natalie could hardly believe what she was hearing! Finally, after all of these years, he was respecting her wishes! With a huge grin, she hurried over to her father and enveloped him in a hug. "I love you," she whispered.  
  
* * * *  
  
Letting go of the palace's eastern wall of stone, Jack fell for almost three feet before landing in a heap of shrubbery at its base. "Well, well," he said, brushing the palm fronds from his matted hair and the dirt from his already filthy woolen duster before rising to his feet once more, "Now I know why these parties are so hard to miss."  
  
Realizing that anyone capable of turning him in was now crammed into the mausoleum, now shrinking behind him, he didn't even bother scaling the wall again, simply walking through the manor's gate and onto the cobbled streets of the poor man's Port Royal. But, of course, he hadn't yet walked four paces when he heard his name being shouted out and the sound of footsteps growing nearer.  
  
Stopping, he watched as Elizabeth and Will emerged from the shadows and approached. "Hello again, Jack. Have you had your fill of voyeurism for the evening?" she asked with a teasing smile. It didn't take her long to recognize that something was amiss, and slowly her brow furrowed and her smile fizzled out. "Whatever is the matter?"  
  
Jack sighed and raised his eyes to the sky for the umpteenth time that evening. He was so sick and tired of talking about feelings and other such drivel, so much so that he was contemplating having "Talk to me and die!" tattooed across his forehead. Sadly, that wouldn't even quiet the nosy Madame Turner.  
  
"Nothing is the matter, Miss. I simply have a duty to my crew and leaving them floating in an enemy port on my vessel still makes me a bit uneasy," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's too bad that you came so late, though, you missed one hell of a good time. Now, if you'd excuse me."  
  
Ignoring their protests, he muttered a quick "Farewell" and pushed past the happy couple, storming off in the direction of the Cara Mia to drown his sorrow in rum and the lull of the open ocean. It was utterly delightful to pretend that he was pleased about her betrothal to the bane of his existence, but, for Jack, it was easier said than done.  
  
Natalie belonged here on land, surrounded by her family and her money, not on the ship of a pirate, surrounded by death and debauchery. He loved her more than he'd ever loved anything: more than the Cara Mia, more than his men, more than his own life.  
  
That fact alone was enough to disturb him into letting her go without a fight.  
* * * * 


	25. Note about updated 24

Another note...  
  
Chapter 24 is no longer a note, but has been updated into a chapter. Of course, I totally overlooked the fact that it wouldn't look updated, so here's another note. Next chapter...which will most likely be the last for this story...I'll just post it as 26. I love you guys, later!  
  
3 Meems 


	26. Chapter 25

Disclaimer:  
  
Jack Sparrow: Another chapter! I love this story! Drinks all around!  
  
Mimi: *Blushes profusely and melts into a puddle at his boot-clad feet*  
  
Note:  
  
So...we are drawing to a close with this story...but I've decided to prolong the agony for a few more chapters, so bear with me. This means yet another plot twist and another newbie or two, so I hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews, because even though the site won't show them to me...I've received them in spirit. I live for you guys and Johnny's new 'do, now enjoy!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 25)  
  
"Nobody move!"  
  
The raspy growl, which boomed over the still babbling crowd, nearly went unnoticed as people continued chatting, driven by the marital mishap playing out before their very eyes. That is, until the two pistol shots rang out.  
  
The room fell into a desperate silence as the smell of gun powder rose into the air and the sound of the crack reverberated in the vaulted ceilings of the marble hall. Everyone tried their best to remain perfectly still, their cautiously roving eyes attempting to discern whether or not anyone had been hurt and, more importantly, where in their midst the threat was hiding.  
  
"Natalie, darling, get back," James whispered, pushing her behind him. Going over the facts in his head, it wouldn't be unusual for this to be Jack's crew, returning for their captain's prize, but he wasn't about to take any chances.  
  
"Show yourself!" he said with conviction, withdrawing his sword from its sheath as quickly and quietly as was humanly possible, his eyes constantly moving over the group of strangers in front of him.  
  
"If you insist!"  
  
The Commodore heard the gruff response come from behind his back and whirled about, just in time to see a behemoth of a man scoop Natalie up, as though she was nothing more than a rag doll, and press a dagger to the slender column of her throat.  
  
Simultaneously, a yelp went up from the far left, and Clark Eaton suddenly found himself in the same state that Natalie was in. "Ow, ow!" he cried, "Would you stop? You're pinching me! That hurts!"  
  
Another round of audible gasps and shrieks erupted from the party- goers at the shocking turn the evening had taken, but all James could do was keep focused on the man in front of him grasping Natalie to him. With one smooth motion, he tossed his rapier to the ground at the buccaneer's feet and raised his hands above his head, slowly murmuring, "What is it that you want?"  
  
The animal, who was, at present, clutching her to him, suddenly snorted, sending a wad of spit down to the marble in front of the Commodore, before tightening his hold on her. With a scowl, he called, "We have what we've come for, and if any one of you tries to stop us from leavin' with them, I swear on me mother's soul that they won't live to see daylight. Do you understand?"  
  
Natalie could see the muscles twitching in James' strong jaw, but she knew that he wouldn't do anything to tempt the cad who had a knife pressed into her flesh. He was practical and calm under pressure...the exact antithesis of Jack.  
  
The captain would have already jumped in, guns blazing, with absolutely no thought or reason, and little more than heroic intent. It was hopelessly romantic, but hardly safe for either of them.  
  
Locking eyes with James, she nodded slowly, as if to remind him of what he should do because it was taking longer than expected for him to respond. Natalie watched as he let out a sight and nodded sternly. "Agreed, but, in return, I have but one request."  
  
Conlon couldn't believe his ears. The Captain had said that getting the pair would be difficult, but she hadn't mentioned that the whole lot of them were completely out of their heads! "Commodore," he said, gesturing to the girl he had in his grasp, "I have a blade to the lass' neck! I hardly think this is the time for you to be makin' requests!"  
  
"My good man," the Commodore replied, shaking his head, "I only wish to know the name of the man who has sent you here. After you tell me, you and your comrade are free to go."  
  
A truly gruesome grin crawled across his face at the uniformed gentleman's words. "No man has sent me, sir. An' I swear to the fact on me own life. Now move!"  
  
James furrowed his brow in confusion. "Are you certain?" This seemed a bit too organized to be the work of two average pirates; they had to be lying. Of course, he had yet to meet one honest man of the sea...but that was beside the point.  
  
"I take me life very seriously, Commodore. You can count on it," he sneered. Tossing a glance back to his friend, he called, "Come along, Shawn. We'd best be goin'."  
  
James nodded and started calling for the guests to move to the walls and away from the two rogues as they made their escape. Natalie gave James a small smile as she left, trying to reassure him that he had done what was best and that she would be fine. Clark was a very different story, indeed.  
  
Shrieking and carrying on like a little girl, he was practically being carried by his captor out the door. As he passed by the Commodore, he raised wildly terrified eyes and wailed, "I don't want to die! Help meeeeee!"  
  
In front of them, Conlon sighed in agitation. He had since dropped his hold on her throat, following close behind her as she went without a fuss. She was behaving better than the gentleman was! "Jesus, me! Is he always like this?"  
  
"Yes, and, just think, I was supposed to marry him," she said.  
  
His eyes widened and he shook his head. "Bless you, Miss. You obviously have the patience of a saint or the worst luck in the world!"  
  
* * * *  
  
"Shh!" Will said, pulling Elizabeth behind a cluster of shrubs. The pair watched in silence as Natalie and Clark were taken away by what looked like pirates, waiting until the little parade was outside of the palace gates before deciding on a plan.  
  
Elizabeth's eyes were filled with fear as she whispered, "Will, those weren't Jack's men. I'm sure of it."  
  
"But, who else would..." his voice trailed off as Jack's returned to mind. Lifting his eyes quickly, he hissed, "Jack said that Eaton's other debtors were out for blood. I don't want to frighten you, but--."  
  
She knew where he was headed with this, and she didn't particularly care for it. "Will, follow behind them and get to Jack's ship. Tell him what has happened and try to follow them. I'll go up to the house to let Father know that we are alright. Maybe I can even get James to arrange a rescue mission?"  
  
Will nodded and planted a quick kiss on his wife before calling "I love you" and hurrying after her captive sister. Elizabeth emerged from the bushes and ran up the front walk to the Governor's Palace as quickly as she could. A little winded, she threw open the door to the ball room once she reached the top and was surprised at what she found.  
  
Every little busybody invited was now silent, listening carefully to Commodore James Norrington as he shouted out instructions to, what appeared to be, a rescue plan. "James!" she called out, waving from the door. She had to tell them what was going on.  
  
He squinted to see back behind the masses to who called for him.  
  
"It's me, Elizabeth!"  
  
The people instantly went back to shouting and weeping as they crowded her, making it even more difficult for the Commodore to get through. She would be able to tell him if those were Jack's men or if she had heard anything while on the captain's ship. She could help find Natalie.  
  
"Confounded all, will everyone GET BACK!" he finally shouted.  
  
Amazingly, they parted right down the middle and he hurried through. "Natalie has been taken, Elizabeth, do you know if Jack is involved?" he asked, not wasting any time.  
  
She couldn't help being a little shocked at his direct approach, but she humored him. "Will and I saw them take her away, and I know for a fact that those pirates aren't in Captain Sparrow's crew. Will is following them, trying to gather what information he can, and then he is going to Jack's ship." Elizabeth sighed, and continued, "With any luck, he can get Jack to follow her. He really cares for her, James, he'll go after her. I know it."  
  
"Well, now," James said, admiring the thought that went into her plan, and nodded. "I'll have the Dauntless made ready for a morning departure. We're going to bring her home for good."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Jack?"  
  
Will stood at the top of the gangway, his eyes scanning the Cara Mia's deck for her Captain. Looking around at the busy crew, it wasn't hard to see that Jack wanted to make way, and get out of Port Royale's general vicinity, as quickly as possible. Something must have happened.  
  
"You there," Will called, "Jolie!"  
  
The new kitchen boy, who couldn't have been a day over fifteen, came running over, surprised to see the man they had just let off, back on deck. "Oui, Monsieur?"  
  
"Jolie, where is Jack?"  
  
Wordlessly, the child pointed aft, and sure enough, Jack was standing at the rail, staring off into the distance. Murmuring a quick "thank you", Will hurried up the wooden steps, two at a time, to speak with his friend. "Jack!"  
  
The captain recognized his friend's voice and rolled his eyes, sighing emphatically. He didn't feel like talking anymore. He'd done more musing and contemplating than could be healthy for any one man in the past three weeks.  
  
"Master Turner," Jack said, refusing to turn around, "Must I tell my men to shoot any trespassers, who come waltzing aboard my ship, on sight, or is it possible for you people to demonstrate some self control and stay on land where you belong?"  
  
Well, he was in a fine mood. It was too bad that Will had to make it worse...  
  
"Jack, Natalie has been taken."  
  
* * * *  
  
"There she is," Conlon said with fierce pride, motioning towards the huge ship docked in the harbor, "The Aibrean Maidin. 'Tis April Morn' in Gaelic, did you know that?"  
  
Natalie's eyes fell upon the vessel and she shook her head, "No I didn't. It's beautiful for sure, but too big to be captained by just you and your accomplice, for certain. So, am I correct to assume that you lied to the Commodore?"  
  
He furrowed his brow at her words and barked, "I'll not have you callin' me a liar, Miss." Stopping at the base of the gangway, he gestured for her to continue on. "Now up you go."  
  
She nodded and held onto the rope handrail draped along the sides as she carefully climbed aboard. With any luck, her good behavior and friendly camaraderie would earn her a bit more freedom so she could think of a way off. For once, all of Clark's whining and moaning was doing some good, by making her look like an angel, in comparison.  
  
All of the commotion and action on deck immediately stopped as her heels clicked onto the cherry wood slats. Natalie's iron resolve wavered as the eyes of fifty menacing buccaneers stood trained on her.  
  
The clop of her captor's boots as he landed on the deck behind her made her jump out of her skin, but then her nerves quivered even more as he pushed her forward towards the figure at the helm; the captain.  
  
"We've brought who you asked for. Where'll we be putting 'em, Miss?"  
  
Miss? Had she gone mad, or had Natalie heard him correctly: The captain of the Aibrean Maidin was a woman? Sure as she was standing there, the person who turned to face them was, indeed, female.  
  
And a rather lovely one at that, with hair black as pitch that fell in gentle waves to the small of her back, eyes of the palest blue green, and a siren's smile. Her skin held the pale white hue of the lily, with a brilliant spot of color on each cheek, and was so flawless that one would take her for a home dweller, and not a pirate, at first glance.  
  
Even when she spoke, the breathy lilt of her musical Irish brogue lent her the air of an innocent heiress...if you overlooked what the beautiful voice said, of course. "Well now, seeing as they're prisoners, Conlon, intelligence would tell you to put them in the brig, wouldn't it?"  
  
"Of course, Cap'n," the man said, stumbling to make his excuses, "But the girl hasn't given us any trouble, and she's not what we really came for, so I was thinkin'..." His voice trailed off as his eyes connected with those of the woman in front of him.  
  
Her eyes seemed to glitter with anger, but she responded, her cold smile frozen in place. "Well, thankfully, my good man, you aren't here to think. You are here to follow my orders."  
  
Conlon nodded sharply and hollered to the men standing around them. "You heard her, gents, lock 'em up!"  
  
A few men shot forward to do as they were bid, but the woman held up her hand, stopping them in their tracks. "No, Conlon here has alluded to the fact that the lady here is rather personable and I should like to find out for myself."  
  
The captain turned to her crew momentarily to give them her orders, which were carried out swiftly. "Take Master Eaton to the brig. Miss Swann, if you would be so kind as to follow me aft for a few words. As for the rest of you, get back to work!"  
  
* * * *  
  
I HATE this chapter...for the record. -3- Meems 


	27. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: Intelligence would tell you that after the Oscar disappointment, I would rather own Lord of the Rings than Pirates of the Caribbean...but I'm not all that smart...am I? Unfortunately, I can't lay claim to either...which makes me pathetically poor as well as stupid...  
  
Note: I'm glad I can put that chapter behind me...its all set up for the end which I am anxious to write, and was needed to usher in what is to come...wow, I think I'm getting better at being cryptic. So, I hope you don't hate me for not ending it sooner, but I'm almost done, so bear with me. I love you guys, thanks for reviewing!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 26)  
  
"Gentlemen, please!" Clark wailed, pressing his face against the woven iron chamber door in a final attempt to reason with the brutes that had dragged him into the dark, dank hull. "You simply cannot do this! I will die down here!"  
  
Shawn rolled his eyes and replied, "Will ye' stop bein' so melodramatic! The hold is nothin' to get yer knickers in a twist over!" Looking over at the other crewmen who had helped secure the whining blighter in his cell, they shared a good laugh, unable to believe how ridiculously this grown man was behaving.  
  
His eyes widened and misted over with tears. "But I do not possess the robust nature of a pirate! I'm quite used to dry air and wide, open spaces after two and twenty years; the moisture will be the very death of me!" Clark could already feel the liquid filling his lungs, trying to slowly suffocate him until he could breathe no more; self preservation was the only thing keeping him going, on his endless pursuit of freedom.  
  
Reaching the end of his already short supply of patience, Shawn took a calming breath before withdrawing his pistol, cocking it, and holding it to the gleaming white cravat at Clark's neck. "Eaton, open that trap of yours one more time and I'll give you a hole in your chest to go with the one in your head."  
  
Clark gasped at the violence, and promise, in the buccaneer's statement, and nodded slowly, watching the man lower his weapon out of the corner of his eye. Peering through the darkness, he surveyed his surroundings. "Um, Excuse me?" he said meekly.  
  
Quicker than lightening, the gun was in Clark's face again and the eyes of the man holding it went dark with fury. "This had better be good, you!" he said, his voice quivering with suppressed rage.  
  
"Would it be, um, possible to get a chair in here, my good man? Father would go absolutely out of his head if I soiled my new breeches."  
  
As the men around him burst into another bout of hysterical laughter, Shawn's mouth dropped open and he simply stared at the boy in disbelief. Shaking his head and muttering to himself, he whirled around, jamming the pistol back into his belt strap, and stormed up to the main deck. "I tell ye, I don't get paid enough for this!"  
  
* * * *  
  
"Now, Miss..."  
  
"Miss Natalie Swann, Cap'n," Conlon offered from the opposite side of the deck where he stood, examining the rope pulls on the mast. In truth, he was only hanging about to make sure the girl was alright. Of course he was a fearsome pirate, but he was a man first, and no man would have the heart to leave her alone with the captain.  
  
The woman rolled her eyes at his interjection and hollered, "Conlon, will you go find something to do instead of lollygagging about in the works, trying my patience!" She could see him opening his mouth to protest, but one final glare in his general direction stopped his words cold and had him scurrying down into the hull in no time.  
  
Finally.  
  
Turning back to the girl, she put forward a smile and said, "I must be apologizing, Miss Swann. This is hardly the most comfortable of situations to be a part of in the first place, and Conlon, as you can plainly see, is a bit high strung."  
  
Natalie wasn't entirely sure how to respond to the woman's words. She would lose either way, and she knew all too well that this wasn't Jack calling the shots. In fact, from all outward appearances, this captain looked as though she'd be absolutely tickled to toss her overboard at any moment, with more bullet holes than a chunk of Swiss, just for good measure.  
  
Carefully, she responded, her voice soft and humble as she made her move. "I understand, Captain."  
  
"Oh, would you look at me now? It seems as though I've misplaced me manners!" Offering her hand with a curious glint in her hazy green eyes, she introduced herself. "Miss Swann, my name is Brenna Gannon and I am the captain of this here vessel."  
  
With a small smile, Natalie shook her hand and replied, "Considering the circumstances, it is a pleasure to meet you, Captain. Your name is quite lovely. Irish, is it?"  
  
Her eyes clouded with anger at Natalie's words. "Is there a problem with my being Irish, Miss Swann? I really thought that a woman of your stature would have the common decency to look past the ethnic troubles preceding us."  
  
"No, no, Captain, I assure you I didn't mean to be offensive!" she said quickly, hoping to dig herself out of the pit of quicksand that she had stumbled into, before the livid woman swallowed her whole, "I was being entirely sincere. One of my dearest friends is Irish and I was only wondering if your name has an alternative meaning. I find the Gaelic translations fascinating."  
  
She eyed Natalie suspiciously, raising an eyebrow as she looked for any sign of falsehood. "Well, if you really are in the way of wondering, 'Brenna' means 'raven maid' and my family name means "fair complexion'."  
  
With a smile, she looked wistfully out to the open sea on the Aibrean Maidin's starboard side and elaborated on her brusque reply. "We come from this small village on Ardmore Bay and it's usually too foggy for the sun to break through. Even being out on this blasted boat hasn't worn my skin at all." Chuckling to herself, she turned to Natalie and added, "I fear we all are destined to look half-dead for eternity."  
  
"It sounds amazing," Natalie said with a sigh, "If the fine condition of this ship and her crew are any indication, I should very much like to go to Ireland someday."  
  
"Well, Miss, that is a very gracious compliment you're bestowing on the people who kidnapped you," Brenna observed. This woman had to be lying through her teeth, she concluded. Either that or she was daft.  
  
Natalie shook her head, and replied sadly, "If you only knew what I was coming from, you wouldn't say that."  
  
The captain furrowed her perfectly arched brow and eyed the melancholy that had crept into the girl's demeanor, most suddenly. "Miss Swann, surely life as the Governor's daughter can't be all that bad. I suppose it's far better than the miserable existences that the many unfortunate souls of this world are forced to endure."  
  
"On that point, I would have to agree, but being wealthy and titled isn't as grand as it sounds. Most days, I would simply do anything to be just like everyone else." Shaking her head, Natalie smiled and lifted her eyes to those of the captain and murmured, "So, I think that is quite enough of that. If you can, would you mind telling me why I am here anyway?"  
  
Brenna sighed and thought carefully before finally deciding how she could phrase her response. "No," she said, bluntly, before continuing on with her explanation, "I can only assure you that it is nothing personal against you or your father and apologize profusely. Well, I think that you had best be on your way to the hold now."  
  
Calmly, Natalie nodded and thanked the woman before turning to leave. She hadn't the slightest idea what in the devil she had to thank her for, besides a cramped cell and a sleepless night, but if it hastened her return to the people she cared for, Brenna was about to become her dearest friend.  
  
* * * *  
  
"What do you mean, she's been taken, William?" Jack asked through clenched teeth, whirling around to face the blacksmith. As his eyes, brimming with a potent combination of fury and fear, fell upon those of his friend, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Bitter words and shouting would do nothing but harm, wasting precious minutes that needed to be spent sorting the whole mess out.  
  
With a slow nod of his head, the captain continued, his voice trembling with barely contained anxiety. "I just saw her, not twenty minutes ago. If what you are warbling about has to do with Natalie's rather sudden betrothal to Commodore Norrington, you will be pleased to discover that I already know and I send my best wishes."  
  
"What in God's name are you babbling about?" Will asked, a humorous tone creeping into his words at the absurdities being uttered by his friend. "She is to marry Clark, not the Commodore. I'm afraid you have been overindulging again, Jack."  
  
Will's nonchalant dismissal almost drove him to the fringes of his self-control, and he balled his quivering hands into fists to keep from throttling the man in front of him. "I just saw Rico Suave rescue Natalie from her dreadful betrothal to Eaton by forging one of his own with her. I was sitting in the Goddamn window! I saw the whole thing..." His voice trailed off as he remembered the feelings he'd experienced as the scene played out before his eyes. To his recollection, it was strikingly similar to being kicked in the head after a two-day rum binge.  
  
"Oh no..." the smithy murmured, realizing that he hadn't even had the chance to arrive at the party before being summoned away on this make-shift rescue mission; Jack was telling the truth. Now it was going to be even more difficult to bring the man around enough to want to save the love who had turned from him.  
  
Will shook his head and proceeded with caution, knowing that Jack wouldn't take this well. His initial response was proof of it. "Well, just after you left, a few pirates showed up and took Natalie and Clark Eaton hostage. I followed them for a little while and they boarded this ship, the Aib...Ayb..."  
  
"The Aibrean Maidin?" he asked as thinly veiled panic coated his words.  
  
"Yes! That's it, the Aibrean Maidin! Anyway, Elizabeth went on to the palace to speak with her father and the commodore and see if they will send a ship after her, but by that time they will be long gone. Jack..." Will said.  
  
The cold, stoic pirate in him wanted to sail off into the sunset, screaming obscenities back at the woman who had so thoroughly forgotten about him and, in turn, smashed his black heart to bits, without a second glance. After all, her beloved military hero would have the whole damn fleet after her by sunup, so there really wasn't much of a point.  
  
But of course, part of his callous, unfeeling pirate-self had taken up and left in recent weeks, allowing room for Jack, the hopelessly romantic moron, who would sacrifice everything for some woman, to take up residence in the vacant half and commandeer his inebriated brain. And right now, that Jack was screaming inside.  
  
Natalie wasn't just SOME woman...she was quite possibly THE woman; the woman that he was meant to spend the rest of his life with...the woman who he simply couldn't live without. Even if she had moved on without him, that didn't stop him from caring enough to watch out for her.  
  
Casting his eyes over Will's shoulder, he shouted his orders to the crew. "Hurry along, men! Get her ready to make way! We sail at first light."  
  
Brushing past the gaping young man, Jack, wordlessly, made his way to the helm. He knew all to well the stories of the Aibrean Maidin and its notoriously feline she-captain. There was only one place that the hot- headed Irish siren would be taking her, and if Jack could warrant a guess, he knew that this wasn't going to be just another kidnapping: they were out for blood.  
  
* * * *  
  
*Almost 5 pages on Word exactly...I've been excruciatingly busy as of late, so I apologize for not posting this sooner...I hope you like where I'm going with this...Thanks guys! 3 Meems 


	28. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: C'mon...I believe that this horse has been mutilated beyond recognition...You get the point...  
  
Note:  
  
Grrr! My ridiculously archaic piece of crud, also known as my computer, has decided to delete the chapter I had written and saved this past week and vacation in Disney has prevented me from updating in a more expedient manner, so I apologize. I have to re-write all of this, which blows more than a little, so please be kind when verbally bashing me for not having this chapter up quicker...I didn't do it purposely.  
  
To Spaci1, I believe my "Elizabeth-was-an-amazing-character-but-was-so- poorly-used-in-the-movie" bias has come into play here, and I'm sorry. I suppose I also kicked up the sneering at the quintessential "Power Couple", that is Will and Liz, because it is how Natalie and Jack tend to view them...for the most part. Remember, it's only my opinion...lol  
  
On with the madness, then! I'm saving this to sixty floppy disks! Hooray for technology!  
  
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 27)  
  
With an unusual, almost otherworldly, burst of agility, the Cara Mia pulled away from the Jamaican coast, charging ever onward in the wake of the Aibrean Maidin at the persistent urging of her captain. His brow furrowed in deep thought and his narrowed eyes unwavering on the lumbering vessel ahead, Jack Sparrow was a sight to see on that brilliant Caribbean morn.   
  
Will found it absolutely incredible that, after all that the pair of them had been through together, he had never seen this side of his friend before. Looming over the helm with fire in his eyes and purpose in his soul, what he beheld was no longer just a man and his ship...they were one in the same now.  
  
The world seemed to finally make sense, working with the harmonic efficiency of a well-timed watch as Mother Nature did her best to aid in Jack's quest.   
  
The wind sent the Cara Mia bounding forward, filling her brilliant white sails beneath the glow of the early morning sun, which rose high in the pale blue sky, guiding their way. The rushing current worked with the oaken keel, rising to meet the worn, but wise, planks and helping the vessel to catch up to her enemy.   
  
And yet, as sure as William Turner was standing there, all of this supernatural strength seemed to be ebbing from the calloused palms of the Captain, which gripped the spokes of that wheel like the warm hands of a trusted friend.   
  
This is why Jack had so fervently pursued his beloved Pearl all those years ago.   
  
This is why, time and again, he laid his own life on the line in pursuit of that endless horizon.   
  
This is why he had settled for a life alone.  
  
In that moment, William finally understood what he had been missing for so long in regards to the captain. The sea and that ship were Jack's home, Jack's family...Jack's life.  
  
The only uncertainty that remained was whether or not Jack's life had room for the young lady who had so thoroughly pushed her way into his heart.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Are you sure you'll be alright, Miss?" Conlon asked, tossing a glance over his shoulder to the young woman who was following him as he led her into the hold by lamplight. A real pity, it was, to have to put such a lovely lady through this, all for politics.  
  
"Oh, don't be silly," Natalie replied softly, almost feeling sorry for allowing him to garner so much sympathy towards her, "I'll be fine. If I could survive on the floating insane asylum that is Captain Jack Sparrow's vessel, I assure you that this will be no great undertaking." At his gruff chuckle, she smiled silently and added, "I thank you for your concern though, Conlon. You really are too kind to me."  
  
The man blushed eight different shades of pink beneath the pale yellow glow of his lantern, before coming to a stop in front of Clark Eaton's cell and digging out his ring of keys. With a few clinks in the darkness, the door swung open, its squeak echoing in the silent hull, and Conlon stepped aside to allow her entry.  
  
Natalie murmured her thanks as she ducked into the reasonably sized cubicle, when, suddenly, a cry that sounded for all the world like that of a pig in slaughter reverberated through the stillness. Conlon quickly lifted the lamp to illuminate the area once more, and she barely fought the urge to groan aloud at the sight of Clark, eyes wide with fear and hair mussed from sleep, balled up in the corner of the cell with his knees pulled tight to his chest like a small child.  
  
"What in God's name are you shouting for? Are you daft?" Conlon hissed, hoping the captain hadn't heard the whiny, nancy-pants (thanx, Kiz) from her perch on deck. His lower back had been acting a bit temperamental lately and dragging out the damn plank would absolutely be hell on earth for his creaking bones...  
  
The young man had visibly been taken down a peg from before, and both the deck hand and the lady standing before him could hardly vouch for their own sanity when he softly replied, "Terribly sorry, sir, please don't shoot me!"  
  
Furrowing his brow, Conlon eyed the sap curiously. Of course he wasn't going to shoot him, but there was no use in spoiling the lad's fun anyway... With a masculine growl, he locked the door, bid them a gruff good night, and hurried above deck before the laughter overtook him.  
  
Alone in the dark together, with their only source of light being the pale moonlight spilling through some cracks in the weathered oak, Natalie felt none of the romance...only seething disdain for the individual cowering beside her. "Oh, dear Lord! Clark, get a hold of yourself! You are making this even more unbearable than it has to be!" she muttered with an exasperated sigh.  
  
Natalie was answered with nothing but silence, at first, so she slowly turned her head towards the part of the cell he inhabited, finding him quaking under the thin veil of light that blanketed the hull. Softly, he asked, "Why do you feel such anger towards me, Natalie, darling. I've been nothing but kind to you, and yet I still seem to garner nothing but your hatred."  
  
If she had still been completely unaware of all of the lies Clark had spun around her and her family, Natalie probably would have felt guilty for hurting his feelings, but looking at him in that moment, she found him nothing short of pitiful. "You are a lying cad, Master Eaton, and any affection you have directed towards me has been false. I never wanted to marry you, and I still don't plan to." Raising her chin in defiance, she added, "I would rather be dead."  
  
To this, Clark remained silent which only served to drive her fury to the boiling point. "Why did you do this to me?" she asked, her voice soft, but obviously holding back some louder, and more dangerous, emotions.  
  
With an exasperated sigh, the young man shook his head and brought his eyes to focus on the hinged door directly in front of him. "Well, Miss Swann, you just might get your wish. We could be dead by tomorrow, if this crew's behavior is any indication--"  
  
"Will you stop avoiding this, and give me a bloody answer?" Natalie hissed, her voice cracking with the potent combination of feelings his words had aroused.  
  
His hands balled into fists at his side and his eyes flew to hers with growing frustration. "Well, you know what, Miss Swann," Clark began, "Not everything is as simple as you would care to think. We needed the money, and you needed a husband. My father pounced, what on Earth was I supposed to do?"  
  
Picking up a rounded stone from the floor beside him, he tossed it into the darkness before him, muttering, "It all seemed perfect at the time. If I had only known I would end up at the receiving end of this rubbish I would have put myself out of my misery long ago."  
  
Natalie sat there, completely bewildered. He was being honest with her...finally...and she couldn't help respecting him for it, even if it was only a tiny bit. Nodding slowly, she replied, "Well, if we have even the slightest prayer of getting out of here alive, we must join forces."  
  
"I would have to agree with you," he replied, shuddering as his ears detected a few squeaks and some scurrying movements across the hall outside of their cell. MICE! It took every ounce of restraint in his person to keep from fainting dead away.  
  
"Clark, I believe I have a plan..."  
  
* * * *  
  
Sorry it is just some filler, I've been writing this at school because my computer BLOWS...I will try my damnedest to get the next chapter out in an expedient fashion.  
  
Arrividerci!  
  
Love, Mimi 


	29. a note because I'm not deadhuzzah!

This is just a quick note to bring you all up to speed on this story. So, I've been struggling with the most God-awful writer's block known to man, but my marching band is doing a PoTC themed show this season (!!!!!) and that has gotten me back to thinking about my story. I've begun writing again and I'm going to be posting a massive chapter which will be the grand finale. Then I can get started on the sequel and we can get Norrie a girl... I'm so sorry for abusing you guys like this, but senior year has been stressing me out like whoa. 3 Mimi


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